A subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude.

synonyms: nicety, nuance, refinement, shade.

Roget 322: rarity, tenuity; absence of solidity etc. 321; subtility^†; subtilty^†, subtlety; sponginess, compressibility.    rarefaction, expansion, dilatation, inflation, subtilization^†.    vaporization, evaporation, diffusion, gassification^†.    ether etc. (gas) 334.    ... show more

Roget 477: intuition, instinct, association, hunch, gut feeling; presentiment, premonition; rule of thumb; superstition; astrology^†; faith (supposition) 514.    sophistry, paralogy^†, perversion, casuistry, jesuitry, equivocation, evasion; chicane, chicanery; quiddet^†, quiddity; mystification; special pleading; speciousness etc. adj.; nonsense etc. 497; word sense, tongue sense.    false reasoning, vicious reasoning, circular reasoning; petitio principii [Lat.], ignoratio elenchi [Lat.]; post hoc ergo propter hoc [Lat.]; non sequitur, ignotum per ignotius [Lat.].    misjudgment etc. 481; false teaching etc. 538.    sophism, solecism, paralogism^†; quibble, quirk, elenchus^†, elench^†, fallacy, quodlibet, subterfuge, subtlety, quillet^†; inconsistency, antilogy^†; a delusion, a mockery, and a snare" [Denman]; claptrap, cant, mere words; lame and impotent conclusion" [Othello]. meshes of sophistry, cobwebs of sophistry; flaw in an argument; weak point, bad case.    overrefinement^†; hairsplitting etc. v.. ... show more

Roget 498: intelligence, capacity, comprehension, understanding; cuteness, sabe [U.S.], savvy [U.S.]; intellect etc. 450; nous [Fr.], parts, sagacity, mother wit, wit, esprit, gumption, quick parts, grasp of intellect; acuteness etc. adj.; acumen, subtlety, penetration, perspicacy^†, perspicacity; discernment, due sense of, good judgment; discrimination etc. 465; cunning etc. 702; refinement etc. (taste) 850.    head, brains, headpiece, upper story, long head; eagle eye, eagle-glance; eye of a lynx, eye of a hawk.    wisdom, sapience, sense; good sense, common sense, horse sense [U.S.], plain sense; rationality, reason; reasonableness etc. adj.; judgment; solidity, depth, profundity, caliber; enlarged views; reach of thought, compass of thought; enlargement of mind.    genius, inspiration, geist [G.], fire of genius, heaven-born genius, soul; talent etc. (aptitude) 698.    [Wisdom in action] prudence etc. 864; vigilance etc. 459; tact etc. 698; foresight etc. 510; sobriety, self-possession, aplomb, ballast.    a bright thought, not a bad idea.    Solomon-like wisdom.    ... show more

Roget 702: cunning, craft; cunningness^†, craftiness etc. adj.; subtlety, artificiality; maneuvering etc. v.; temporization; circumvention.    chicane, chicanery; sharp practice, knavery, jugglery^†; concealment etc. 528; guile, doubling, duplicity etc. (falsehood) 544; foul play.    diplomacy, politics; Machiavelism; jobbery, backstairs influence.    art, artifice; device, machination; plot etc. (plan) 626; maneuver, stratagem, dodge, sidestep, artful dodge, wile; trick, trickery etc. (deception) 545; ruse, ruse de guerre [Fr.]; finesse, side blow, thin end of the wedge, shift, go by, subterfuge, evasion; white lie etc. (untruth) 546; juggle, tour de force; tricks of the trade, tricks upon travelers; espieglerie [Fr.]; net, trap etc. 545.    Ulysses, Machiavel, sly boots, fox, reynard; Scotchman; Jew, Yankee; intriguer, intrigant^†; floater [U.S.], Indian giver [U.S.], keener [U.S.], repeater [U.S.].    ... show more

Dutch: subtiliteit, schaduw
Polish: subtelność, delikatność

The quality of being difficult to detect or analyze:
— You had to admire the subtlety of the distinctions he drew.

synonym: niceness.

Polish: nieznaczność