as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
the subtleness with which the boutique owner convinces you that you have to have that outrageously priced article of clothing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subtleness
Noun
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Holding viewers by the throat for a handful of strong beats, even as the script slips through the entire cast’s fingers, the devilish actor sells Besson’s interpretation on charisma and cunning.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026 -
Strategy and cunning or physicality and grace?—
Zack Pierce,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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There are some subtleties to the mechanism that can explain the unpredictability of loss of desire.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
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Perfect for those who prefer subtlety in romance and in their nail designs.—
Rebecca Norris,
InStyle,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Mike Bowman, designer, furniture industry expert, and director of marketing for Harmonia Living, says this trend relies on furnishings to bring artfulness to a space—rather than just functionality.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
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There is a real seriousness to the score — the scheming bad-guy music has the artfulness of Prokofiev, and even the sneaking-around cues have musical integrity and structure.—
Tim Greiving,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Like the tricksters of myth, there’s depth to their slyness.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Feb. 2026
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Ay, the superb slyness of that last response!—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Subtleness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subtleness. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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