tricky

adjective

ˈtri-kē How to pronounce tricky (audio)
Definition of trickynext
1
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling a tricky musical passage for the woodwind section

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means he's a tricky one, so be careful when dealing with him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word tricky distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of tricky are artful, crafty, cunning, foxy, slick, sly, and wily. While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.

a tricky political operative

When can artful be used instead of tricky?

While the synonyms artful and tricky are close in meaning, artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.

elicited the information by artful questioning

When is it sensible to use crafty instead of tricky?

While in some cases nearly identical to tricky, crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

When might cunning be a better fit than tricky?

The words cunning and tricky can be used in similar contexts, but cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

When would foxy be a good substitute for tricky?

The synonyms foxy and tricky are sometimes interchangeable, but foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.

a foxy publicity man planting stories

When is slick a more appropriate choice than tricky?

In some situations, the words slick and tricky are roughly equivalent. However, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

When could sly be used to replace tricky?

The words sly and tricky are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.

a sly corporate raider

Where would wily be a reasonable alternative to tricky?

The meanings of wily and tricky largely overlap; however, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tricky Of course, the tricky part is putting big lifestyle changes into practice. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 6 June 2025 Even for a player as accomplished as Novak Djokovic, one of the sport’s all-time greats, clay continues to be a tricky surface to master. —Rosa De Acosta, CNN Money, 6 June 2025 Wondering what to say in a tricky social situation? —Angela Haupt, Time, 6 June 2025 Adding to the uncertainty, interest rates and other costs remain high, making borrowing tricky at a time when assistance from federal agencies like the SBA has been reduced (the agency has announced plans to reduce its workforce by 43%) and loan guarantee rules tightened. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for tricky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricky
  1. difficult
  2. cunning
  3. tough
  4. cute
  5. sensitive
  6. subtle
  7. problematic
  8. deceptive
Adjective
  • No matter how sweet, the little crocodile grows bigger and more difficult to care for.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 10 June 2025
  • Despite her risky gambit, Metcalfe, who is studying to be an attorney at the University of Law in Manchester, England, admits that her sport has helped her through some of the most difficult times of her life.
    — Andy Frye, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Particularly cunning or politically convenient women have infrequently maneuvered into the halls of power, but these female monarchs have served mostly as short detours during times when a male crown prince was either too young or too weak to stand on his own.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
  • Anderson stands the original on its head: grooming Liesl as a successor, Zsa-zsa introduces her to a world where cunning and force hold sway.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 29 May 2025
Definition of cunning
Adjective
  • In Mind For startups, achieving more with less can be tough.
    — John Hall, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
  • The vote took place against an increasingly violent backlash to the Trump administration's tough immigration policies.
    — Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Plus, a slight slit in the legs adds a cute and playful touch.
    — Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 13 June 2025
  • Related Articles Miss Manners: Another mother chided me for group-texting a cute photo.
    — Eric Thomas, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2025
Definition of cute
Adjective
  • Amino acids are more easily absorbed than proteins and do not damage the intestinal environment, which means even those with sensitive digestions can take them.
    — MISAKI KAWATSU, Vogue, 10 June 2025
  • This principle, applied across all workloads, is instrumental for reducing the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data.
    — Ben Blanquera, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • The problem is that Flanagan—known for eerie but subtle horror films like Hush and Oculus and Netflix series like Midnight Mass and The Haunting of Hill House—puts too many overly earnest quotation marks around what should be the most moving scenes.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 6 June 2025
  • Your new album, Faith, is a lot subtler than your debut, Signs.
    — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 6 June 2025
Definition of subtle
Adjective
  • The comment was in answer to how Friends, in its second resurgence in the streaming era, was receiving some criticism for some of its problematic elements, i.e. the lack of diversity, homophobia, sexism, etc.
    — Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 7 June 2025
  • All signs point to some problematic visitors heading to Wellsbury in season 4.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 6 June 2025
Definition of problematic
Adjective
  • Payment providers can face significant card brand penalties if they are found to facilitate deceptive behavior.
    — Rochelle Blease, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
  • Don't fall prey to deceptive marketing language and inflated MSRP prices—our tips only take a few moments.
    — Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 12 June 2025
Definition of deceptive

Browse Nearby Words

tricksy
tricky
tricolor
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Cite this Entry

“Tricky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricky. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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