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Subtle vs Obtuse - What's the difference?

subtle | obtuse |

As adjectives the difference between subtle and obtuse

is that subtle is hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood; barely noticeable while obtuse is blunt; not sharp.

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

    * * * *

    obtuse

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Blunt; not sharp.
  • Intellectually dull or dim-witted.
  • Indirect or circuitous.
  • Of sound: deadened or muffled.
  • (geometry) Of an angle: greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees.
  • (geometry) Of a triangle: with one obtuse angle.

    • Synonyms

    * (intellectually dull ): dense, dim, dim-witted, thick (informal) * (of a sound ): deadened, muffled * (blunt ): blunt, dull * (of a triangle ): obtuse-angled

    Antonyms

    * (intellectually dull ): bright, intelligent, on the ball, quick off the mark, quick-witted, sharp, smart * (of a sound ): clear * (blunt ): pointed, sharp * (of an angle ): acute * (of a triangle ): acute, acute-angled

    Related terms

    * obtund

    External links

    * * *

    Anagrams

    *

    Quotations

    * (English Citations of "obtuse") ----