Elusive vs. Subtle — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Elusive and Subtle
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Elusive
"Elusive" was the first single for British singer-songwriter Scott Matthews and was released on 18 September 2006. The single received much airplay from BBC Radio DJs Jo Whiley, Dermot O'Leary and Zane Lowe between 7 and 10 August.
Subtle
(especially of a change or distinction) so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyse or describe
His language expresses rich and subtle meanings
Elusive
Tending to elude capture, perception, comprehension, or memory
"an invisible cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist [himself]" (David Kline).
Subtle
Making use of clever and indirect methods to achieve something
He tried a more subtle approach
Elusive
Difficult to define or describe
"Failures are more finely etched in our minds than triumphs, and success is an elusive, if not mythic, goal in our demanding society" (Hugh Drummond).
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Subtle
Crafty; cunning
The subtle fiend dissembled
Elusive
Evading capture, comprehension or remembrance.
The elusive criminal was arrested
Subtle
So slight as to be difficult to detect or describe; elusive
A subtle smile.
Elusive
Difficult to make precise.
Subtle
Difficult to understand; abstruse
An argument whose subtle point was lost on her opponent.
Elusive
Rarely seen.
Subtle
Able to make fine distinctions
A subtle mind.
Elusive
Tending to elude; using arts or deception to escape; adroitly escaping or evading; eluding the grasp; fallacious.
Elusive of the bridal day, she givesFond hopes to all, and all with hopes deceives.
Subtle
Operating in a hidden, usually injurious way; insidious
A subtle poison.
Elusive
Difficult to describe;
A haunting elusive odor
Subtle
Characterized by skill or ingenuity; clever.
Elusive
Skillful at eluding capture;
A cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist
Subtle
Crafty or sly; devious.
Elusive
Be difficult to detect or grasp by the mind;
His whole attitude had undergone a subtle change
A subtle difference
That elusive thing the soul
Subtle
Hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood.
Subtle
Barely noticeable, not obvious, indistinct.
The difference is subtle, but you can hear it if you listen carefully.
Subtle
(of a thing) Cleverly contrived.
Subtle
(of a person or animal) Cunning, skillful.
Subtle
Insidious.
Subtle
Tenuous; rarefied; of low density or thin consistency.
Subtle
(obsolete) Refined; exquisite.
Subtle
Sly in design; artful; cunning; insinuating; subtile; - applied to persons; as, a subtle foe.
Subtle
Cunningly devised; crafty; treacherous; as, a subtle stratagem.
Subtle
Characterized by refinement and niceness in drawing distinctions; nicely discriminating; - said of persons; as, a subtle logician; refined; tenuous; sinuous; insinuating; hence, penetrative or pervasive; - said of the mind; its faculties, or its operations; as, a subtle intellect; a subtle imagination; a subtle process of thought; also, difficult of apprehension; elusive.
Things remote from use, obscure and subtle.
Subtle
Smooth and deceptive.
Like to a bowl upon a subtle ground [bowling ground].
Subtle
Be difficult to detect or grasp by the mind;
His whole attitude had undergone a subtle change
A subtle difference
That elusive thing the soul
Subtle
Faint and difficult to analyze;
Subtle aromas
Subtle
Able to make fine distinctions;
A subtle mind
Subtle
Working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way;
Glaucoma is an insidious disease
A subtle poison
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