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subtle issue

[ˈsʌtəl ˈɪʃuː]
noun phrasefemininepl: subtle issues / questões sutis
questão sutil
1. A problem or matter that is not immediately obvious, requires careful attention to detect, and is often complex or delicate in nature
The subtle issue with the contract was buried in the fine print.
A questão sutil do contrato estava escondida nas letras miúdas.
2. A sensitive or nuanced problem that requires tact and careful handling
There's a subtle issue between the two departments that needs addressing.
Há uma questão sutil entre os dois departamentos que precisa ser resolvida.
Synonyms
nuanced problemdelicate mattercomplex issueunderlying problemfine point
Antonyms
obvious issueclear problemglaring issuestraightforward matter

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
questão sutil
Most common usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
questão delicada
Often emphasizes sensitivity
São Paulo
ponto delicado
Alternative formal usage
Portugal
questão subtil
Maintains subtil spelling convention

Related Idioms & Phrases

read between the lines
the devil is in the details
uma questão de nuances
não está na superfície
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