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Elusive vs. Subtle — What's the Difference?

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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