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GRE vocabulary

nuance

nounHigh-frequency wordMore N words

a subtle difference in meaning, expression, or shade

Word origin: From French nuance, shade of color, from nue, cloud.

In a sentence

Nuance in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing nuance in a sentence.

A good translator must capture the nuances of the original text.

A careful translator preserves the nuance that distinguishes a polite request from a veiled command.

Synonyms
Antonyms

None listed.

Usage & nuance

Using “nuance” well

Nuance refers to a subtle distinction in meaning, tone, or shade that finer attention reveals. It often appears as a plural noting the small gradations that less careful observers miss.

Common questions

Questions about “nuance

Nuance (noun) means a subtle difference in meaning, expression, or shade
Here is nuance used in an example sentence: "A good translator must capture the nuances of the original text." Another example: "A careful translator preserves the nuance that distinguishes a polite request from a veiled command."
Common synonyms for nuance include subtlety, gradation, shade.
On the GRE, nuance clusters with subtlety, gradation, and shade, typically in passages praising fine distinctions or faulting their absence.
Yes. Nuance is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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