Subtly - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT subtly /ˈsʌɾəli/ /ˈsʌtəli/ IPA guide

The adverb subtly describes something that's done in a delicate or understated way. You could subtly suggest to your best friend that a breath mint might taste good, rather than telling her straight out that she's got terrible breath.

When you do something subtly, you do it quietly and indirectly — like subtly criticizing your mom's choice of beachwear. If you smile subtly, it's a small, mysterious, Mona Lisa-type smile rather than a wide, open one. There are two tricks to the word subtly: first, when you add the ly to the word subtle, the e gets dropped. Second, don't confuse subtly with subtlety, a noun meaning "the state of being subtle."

Definitions of subtly

adverb in a subtle manner “late nineteenth-century French opera at its most beautiful, subtly romantic with a twilight melancholy”

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Vocabulary lists containing subtly

To All the Boys I've Loved Before Jenny Han

Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean writes letters to the boys for whom she has romantic feelings — letters she never intends to send. When someone starts secretly mailing the letters out, Lara Jean and one of the recipients, Peter, decide to team up and fake a relationship to make their current crushes jealous.

Five Feet Apart Rachael Lippincott

Two teens with cystic fibrosis fall in love, although the disease prevents them from getting physically close to each other.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter Erika L. Sánchez

After the sudden death of her seemingly perfect sister, Julia tries to learn more about her sister's life while negotiating complicated family relationships.

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