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Elusive vs Tricky - What's the difference?

elusive | tricky |

As adjectives the difference between elusive and tricky

is that elusive is evading capture, comprehension or remembrance while tricky is hard to deal with, complicated.

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)

    tricky

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • hard to deal with, complicated
    • They were in a tricky situation.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=September 15 , author=Amy Lawrence , title=Arsenal's Gervinho enjoys the joy of six against lowly Southampton , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=It was as comfortable an afternoon as Arsène Wenger could have wished for in a situation that can be tricky in between internationals and the upcoming Champions League. }}
  • adept at using deception
    • A tricky salesman can sell anything.

    Related terms

    * trick

    See also

    * sneaky