EN

Synonyms for delicate

  • adjective

Most common

fragile weak ethereal tender exquisite sensitive dainty

Synonyms by meaning

Adjective

1. Fragile — light, or softly tinted; said of a colour

fragile, weak, ethereal, tender, subtle, fine, frail, thin, slender, diaphanous, vulnerable, gossamer, light, brittle, sickly, tenuous, breakable, slim, subtile, flimsy dated

2. Exquisite

exquisite, sensitive, touchy, ticklish, difficult, hard, scrupulous, critical, fastidious, sore, discriminating, minute, nice dated

3. Dainty — refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; said of manners, conduct, or feelings

dainty, soft, elegant, graceful, refined, feminine, delicious, pleasing, savory US, savoury UK, mellow, agreeable, effeminate, palatable

Other

careful, decorous, fine-spun, proper, pure, pyore US, decent

Antonyms

rugged, crass, ungodly

All antonyms of delicate →

Definitions

  1. adj. 1

    Refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; said of manners, conduct, or feelings.

  2. adj. 2

    Light, or softly tinted; said of a colour.

  3. adj. 3

    Easily damaged or requiring careful handling.

    The negotiations were very delicate.

Related words

Word family
delicacy delicately delicatessen delicious delight

Choose the right word

Delicate, Polished, Fine, Dainty or Exquisite?

That which is finished is apt to be polished, smooth to the touch, minutely exact in outline; hence fine comes to be a synonym for all words like dainty, delicate, exquisite; as, fine manners, a fine touch, fine perceptions.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

  • tender It was put out to tender, and an Italian firm won.
  • subtle There was a subtle difference between their views.
  • fragile Fresh figs are very fragile and highly perishable.
  • ethereal The voice sounded very weird, almost ethereal.
  • sensitive Slavery is still a sensitive subject around here.
  • exquisite This restaurant offers some really exquisite dishes.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
delicatesteady
tendersteady
subtlerising
fragilerising
etherealrising
sensitivesteady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters
hard1, nice1, fine1, weak1, soft1, pure1, thin1, slim1, sore1
5 letters
light1, frail1, pyore
6 letters
minute2, proper2, decent2, tender2, subtle2, mellow2, flimsy2, touchy2, dainty2, sickly2, savory3
7 letters
careful2, elegant3, fragile2, refined2, slender2, brittle2, tenuous3, savoury, subtile
8 letters
critical3, feminine3, pleasing2, graceful2, ethereal4, ticklish3, gossamer3, decorous3
9 letters
difficult3, sensitive3, delicious3, exquisite3, agreeable4, palatable4, breakable3
10 letters
vulnerable4, effeminate4, scrupulous3, fastidious4, diaphanous4
14 letters
discriminating5

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (minute2 = 2 syllables).