as in slippery
hard to find, capture, or isolate
the giant squid is one of the ocean's most elusive inhabitants
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of elusive
Even more elusive than TDEs are kilonovas, explosive bursts of light that occur when two neutron stars smash together and merge.
—
Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 July 2025
One of the most famous and elusive literary mysteries in English literature has finally been solved.
—Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 16 July 2025
The passage of the Big Beautiful Bill highlights the broader challenge facing climate finance globally: political will remains the most critical — and elusive — resource.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 14 July 2025
The Bottom Line: Making Time for Wisdom Wisdom remains elusive but essential.
—Melanie Hughes, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for elusive
Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 July 2025
One of the most famous and elusive literary mysteries in English literature has finally been solved.
—Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 16 July 2025
The passage of the Big Beautiful Bill highlights the broader challenge facing climate finance globally: political will remains the most critical — and elusive — resource.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 14 July 2025
The Bottom Line: Making Time for Wisdom Wisdom remains elusive but essential.
—Melanie Hughes, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for elusive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elusive
Adjective
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Plus, Korean face masks, often featuring ingredients novel to American customers such as snail mucin, in unique textures like collagen-rich masks known for their slippery jelly feel—leads to a whole lot of variety.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
11 July 2025
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Airlines are responsible for de-icing their aircraft, however, airport personnel prepare for and respond to ice accumulation that can lead to slippery walkways, roadways, runways, and any other impacts to the airport infrastructure.—
Beck Andrew Salgado,
Austin American Statesman,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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Born in northern Iran, near the Caspian Sea, Kamran’s childhood was somewhat transient due to her father’s work for the department of educations, which kept the family moving every four or five years.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
25 July 2025
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It was surrounded on every side by a moat-like parking lot, every parking space neatly marked by diagonal lines, white for transient parking, yellow for monthly parking, green for the building’s maintenance personnel.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Alarms sounded in the cockpit of a Southwest Airlines jet shortly after taking off from Hollywood Burbank airport near Los Angeles on Friday, prompting evasive maneuvers, the airline said in a statement.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
25 July 2025
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With Muñoz showing his cards, Aaron Judge was set up for a game-winning sac fly with the bases loaded and one away in the 10th. Hit only 274 feet off Gabe Speier following a walk to Trent Grisham, Judge’s ball scored Anthony Volpe, who used an evasive slide to end the game.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elusive. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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