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Subtle vs Profound - What's the difference?

subtle | profound |

As adjectives the difference between subtle and profound

is that subtle is hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood; barely noticeable while profound is descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to great depth; deep.

As a noun profound is

the deep; the sea; the ocean.

As a verb profound is

to cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate far down.

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

    * * * *

    profound

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to great depth; deep.
  • * (rfdate),
    • A gulf profound
  • Very deep; very serious
  • Intellectually deep; entering far into subjects; reaching to the bottom of a matter, or of a branch of learning; thorough; as, a profound investigation or treatise; a profound scholar; profound wisdom.
  • *
  • Characterized by intensity; deeply felt; pervading; overmastering; far-reaching; strongly impressed; as, a profound sleep.
  • * (rfdate),
    • Profound sciatica
  • * (rfdate),
    • Of the profound corruption of this class there can be no doubt.
  • Bending low, exhibiting or expressing deep humility; lowly; submissive; as, a profound bow.
  • * (rfdate)
    • What humble gestures! What profound reverence!

    Noun

    (-)
  • (obsolete) The deep; the sea; the ocean.
    • God in the fathomless profound / Hath all this choice commanders drowned. Sandys .
  • (obsolete) An abyss.
    • (Milton)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate far down.
    • (Sir Thomas Browne)
  • (obsolete) To dive deeply; to penetrate.

    • Related terms

    * profundity * profoundness ----