English pronunciation

How to pronounce “subtle

Phonetic spelling

SUH-tuhl

IPA /ˈsətəɫ/

Syllable stress

suh·tuhl

Stress falls on the highlighted syllable.

How do you spell “subtle”?

s u b t l e

subtle” is spelled S-U-B-T-L-E. It is pronounced SUH-tuhl, so the spelling and the sound do not match letter for letter. Listen to the audio above and say it aloud while you read the letters.

Hear it in a sentence

  • The difference in flavor was very subtle, but I could still taste it.

  • She gave him a subtle nod to show her approval.

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