Subtle

Subtle means something that is not obvious and can be hard to notice, like a tiny detail in a painting or a small change in someone's mood that you need to pay close attention to see.

Examples

• The artist used subtle shades of blue and green in her painting, which made the scene of the ocean feel calm and peaceful without being too loud or overwhelming.
• As we studied the behavior of different animals in science class, we noticed the subtle ways they communicated with each other, like the soft gestures of a cat when it wants attention.
• During the group project, my friend made a subtle suggestion that improved our presentation, showing us how important it is to listen carefully to everyone's ideas, even when they are not immediately obvious.

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