1
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
it's a bit tricksy to have a candid conversation with the company president without appearing to be either presumptuous or obsequious
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
a tricksy provocateur who will make the most outrageous statements just to get a reaction
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Recent Examples of tricksy
The structure is a bit tricksier, flipping between the present — which finds our two inevitable lovers estranged and in their early thirties — and a staggered series of flashbacks catching up to it.
—
Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026
Such films sometimes feel like tricksy technical experiments.
—The Economist, 18 June 2020
Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026
Such films sometimes feel like tricksy technical experiments.
—The Economist, 18 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricksy
Adjective
-
This requires the difficult task of collecting precise, real-world measurements of complex nuclei and comparing the measurements with the models’ predictions.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Feb. 2026
-
While that process may prove difficult, the suspension option was hardly better.—
Zach LaChance,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Within your 3rd House of Local Community, mischievous Mercury combines with dark Pluto, turning conversations into truth-seeking moments that clarify trust and tighten details.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Jan. 2026
-
In House of the Dragon’s season 2 premiere, Aegon II brought him to a meeting where Jaehaerys II was mischievous and bored.—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
19 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Going through a severe injury is probably the toughest thing an athlete can go through.—
DJ Siddiqi,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
More companies are dialing back flexible work schedules and mandating that employees return to the office part-time or full-time, forcing women into tough situations.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
No one mourns the wicked, indeed.—
Erin Neil,
New Yorker,
22 Jan. 2026
-
The film tells the true and twisted tale of a deceiver of land and folk, who, defying her birth as a woman, comported herself as a man and committed many a wicked deed.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Still, a few things are worth keeping in mind, especially if your teen is more sensitive, anxious, or likely to shut down under pressure.—
Dorian Johnson,
Parents,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Infused with the same micro triple-lipid capsules—ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids—that replenish the skin barrier on contact, it’s specifically formulated for dry, sensitive skin.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Think pét-nat’s playful fizz, fancy kombucha in a wine bottle, zero-proof sparklers, including Elton John’s new bubbly.—
Lanee Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Bags This playful, socially minded brand from Spain was created four years ago by Paloma Hernández Tamame, and creates colorful, customizable handbags with decor using children’s construction blocks.—
Alex Wynne,
Footwear News,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The game's flight model is incredibly complicated, with a focus on realistic modeling and some notoriously finicky landing mechanics.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Lebanon and Syria have a complicated history with grievances on both sides.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
At supersonic speeds, this is incredibly problematic.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Ignore areas that look problematic.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tricksy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricksy. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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