Word of the Day: subtle

The word subtle has appeared in 790 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Dec. 26 in “The Last Holdouts” by Amy Harmon:

More than 90 percent of Americans said they wore masks at least some of the time in December 2020, and 69 percent did so in December 2021, according to polls by Ipsos, a research firm. That number has this month dropped to 30 percent, with only 10 percent saying that they use masks at all times outside of their home.

… Jennifer Rutherford, a clerical worker in Davis, Calif., has come to take it as a sign of subtle pressure when people tell her it is hard to hear her through her mask. Sometimes, she obliges by taking it off. But she remains the only member of her musical theater group to mask during rehearsals, because of her concerns about long Covid.

Daily Word Challenge

Can you correctly use the word subtle in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how subtle can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.