Delicate vs Subtle

Quand utiliser chacun en anglais, avec le sens, le registre et des exemples.

Delicate

Top 2000 (courant)C1adjective

Subtle

Top 2000 (courant)C1adjective
 DelicateSubtle
Prononciation🇬🇧 /["/ˈdelɪkət/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈdelɪkət/"]/🇬🇧 /["/ˈsʌtl/","/ˈsʌtələ(r)/","/ˈsʌtəlɪst/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsʌtl/","/ˈsʌtələr/","/ˈsʌtəlɪst/"]/
SensEasily broken or damaged; fragile.Not obvious or easy to notice.
ExempleThe delicate porcelain vase shattered when it fell from the shelf.The artist used subtle colors to create a calming effect in the painting.
RegistreNeutreNeutre
FréquenceTop 2000 (courant)Top 2000 (courant)
Niveau CEFRC1C1
Nature grammaticaleadjectiveadjective
Collocationsbe, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, verybe, seem, become, extremely, fairly, very, be, seem, become, extremely, fairly, very
Antonymessturdy, robust, strongobvious, blatant, glaring
Erreurs fréquentesConfused with 'delicious' — they sound similar but have different meanings., Using 'delicate' to describe something strong or resilient., Omitting context; remember 'delicate' usually refers to physical or emotional sensitivity.Confused with 'suttle', which is incorrect spelling., Using 'subtle' for obvious things., Overusing 'subtle' instead of simpler words like 'small' or 'slight'.
Notes d'usageUse 'delicate' to describe things that require careful handling, like fine china or fragile emotions. It’s generally appropriate in a variety of contexts but avoid using it in overly casual speech.Use 'subtle' when describing things that are not clear or direct. It's appropriate in both formal and informal contexts but avoid it in simplistic conversations.

Questions fréquentes : Delicate vs Subtle

Quelle est la différence entre Delicate et Subtle ?

Delicate: Easily broken or damaged; fragile. Subtle: Not obvious or easy to notice.

Delicate et Subtle sont-ils au même niveau CEFR ?

Delicate: C1, Subtle: C1 sur l'échelle CEFR.

Puis-je utiliser Delicate et Subtle de façon interchangeable ?

Pas toujours. Delicate et Subtle sont proches et se recoupent parfois, mais elles diffèrent par le registre, la fréquence et l'usage, donc remplacer l'une par l'autre peut changer le sens ou le ton. Regarde les différences ci-dessus avant de substituer.