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Subtle vs Cagey - What's the difference?

subtle | cagey | Related terms |

Subtle is a related term of cagey.


As adjectives the difference between subtle and cagey

is that subtle is hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood; barely noticeable while cagey is wary, careful, shrewd.

subtle

English

Alternative forms

* subtil (obsolete) * subtile (obsolete)

Adjective

(er)
  • Hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood; barely noticeable.
    • The difference is subtle , but you can hear it if you listen carefully.
  • (of a thing) Cleverly contrived.
  • (of a person or animal) Cunning, skillful.
  • insidious
  • * 1623 , , act iv, scene 4,
    • Thy age confirmed, proud, subtle , bloody, treacherous.
  • Tenuous; rarefied; of low density or thin consistency.

    • Synonyms

    * crafty, cunning, skillful * (insidious) insidious

    Antonyms

    * (hard to grasp) simple

    Derived terms

    * subtle body * subtleness * subtlety * subtly

    References

    * * *

    Anagrams

    * * * *

    cagey

    English

    Alternative forms

    * cagy

    Adjective

    (er)
  • wary, careful, shrewd
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=February 6 , author=Alistair Magowan , title=West Ham 0 - 1 Birmingham , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=But with both sides in the Premier League's bottom three before the game began, the three points at stake made for a cagey match.}}
  • uncommunicative; unwilling or hesitant to give information.

    • Derived terms

    * cagily * caginess