Parrivo word videos
Nuance: meaning and examples
nuance means a small but important difference in meaning, feeling, or tone. Watch the story, then try free practice below.
Read the story
Same person. Same moment. Only one word changes.
Confident. She believes in her ability. That sounds admirable.
Arrogant. She thinks she's better than others. That sounds critical.
That small but important difference in meaning or tone is nuance.
So, Parrivo—confident... or arrogant?
...Nuance.
Words change everything.
Explore the word · noun
What does nuance mean?
a small but important difference in meaning, feeling, or tone.
How the story shows the meaning
Confident suggests belief in one’s ability; arrogant suggests an inflated sense of superiority. Both concern how someone sees their ability, but the judgment changes. The words are not interchangeable.
nuance in a sentence
- Calling a student curious rather than nosy changes the nuance: one suggests interest, while the other suggests prying.
- A confident speaker trusts their ability; an arrogant speaker may act as though they are better than others.
- “Could you close the door?” and “Close the door now” have different nuances of politeness and urgency.
Nuance depends on context, wording, and sometimes tone of voice. Near-synonyms can overlap without having exactly the same meaning. Nuanced is the related adjective.
Check your understanding
Read the answer and explanation
Curious. Correct. In this context, curious suggests an interested attitude toward learning.
Try two more questions
Explain your thinking, then open a sample answer. These are extra practice examples to use after watching.
1. How does describing a room as “cozy” rather than “cramped” affect the reader?
Show sample answer
Cozy often suggests pleasant warmth or comfort; cramped emphasizes insufficient space. The same small room could prompt different descriptions.
2. Write two short requests with different levels of urgency. Explain the difference.
Show sample answer
For example, “Could you help when you have a moment?” leaves time open, while “Please help me now” signals urgency. Explain how the wording changes the request.
Companion lesson by Parrivo · Updated