Meaning & use

nuance

noun·Advanced

A small but meaningful difference in meaning, feeling, sound, or appearance.

See it in a sentence

The translator preserved the nuance between a polite request and a firm instruction.

Listening twice helped me hear a hopeful nuance in the singer's voice.

A note on using this word

Nuance often appears in 'a nuance of meaning' or 'the nuances of a performance.' It points to a distinction that broad labels can miss.

Words with a similar meaning

subtletyshade

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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