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Shifty vs Tricky - What's the difference?

shifty | tricky | Related terms |

As adjectives the difference between shifty and tricky

is that shifty is having the appearance of someone dishonest, criminal or unreliable; such as someone with shifty eyes while tricky is hard to deal with, complicated.

shifty

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Having the appearance of someone dishonest, criminal or unreliable; such as someone with shifty eyes .
    • He was a shifty character in a seedy bar and I checked my wallet was still there after talking to him.
  • Subject to frequent changes in direction.
  • * 1971 , Henry Handel Richardson, Ultima Thule (page 121)
    • Off he raced, shuffling his bare feet through the hot, dry, shifty sand. But it was no good: she didn't care.
  • Full of, or ready with, shifts or expedients.
    • (Wright)
  • * Charles Kingsley
    • Shifty and thrifty as old Greek or modern Scot, there were few things he could not invent, and perhaps nothing he could not endure.

    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