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Elusive vs Evasive - What's the difference?

elusive | evasive |

Evasive is a synonym of elusive.



As adjectives the difference between elusive and evasive

is that elusive is evading capture, comprehension or remembrance while evasive is tending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself.

elusive

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Evading capture, comprehension or remembrance.
    • The elusive criminal was arrested
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1910 , author=Jack London , title=Lost Face , chapter=6 citation , passage=Charley chased the elusive idea through all the nooks and crannies of his drowning consciousness.}}
  • Rarely seen.
  • *
  • Difficult to describe.
    • A precise definition of diarrhea is elusive (Robbin's pathology, 8th ed)

    Related terms

    * (l)

    evasive

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Tending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself.
  • Directed towards avoidance or escape; evasive action .

    • Synonyms

    * elusive, slippery, shifty, cagey, elusory, sly, noncommital * unclear, vague, equivocal, ambiguous * tricky, deceitful, devious

    Derived terms

    * (l) * (l)