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 The census doesn’t track Judaism as either a religion or an ethnicity, and polling on the question is tricky. —Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 7 Mar. 2025 While yellow and green are considered easier, blue and purple are thought to be trickier. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025 Lily James nails the deceptively tricky lead role, perfectly walking the tightrope of sweetness and strength, compliance and courage, while Richard Madden is the charmingest of princes. —EW.com, 4 Mar. 2025 Stable finances: Balancing city budgets is a tricky science, and Emanuel managed to do so annually. —Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 3 Mar. 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
  • On the other hand lies the more difficult but ultimately more promising path: repudiation of that post-2008 legacy and a conscientious return to a politics of the prudential center.
    — Newsweek, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
  • But daylight saving time throws that natural cycle a bit out of whack, and that can be particularly difficult for kids.
    — Dina Roth Port, Parents, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Reading it, one is reminded, once again, that Trump is a politician who is cunning but semiliterate and ignorant.
    — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2025
  • Sign up The abusive couple were cunning, said Allison Pearson in The Daily Telegraph.
    — The Week UK, theweek, 21 Dec. 2024
Definition of cunning
Adjective
  • Ties during Trump’s first term One of the hallmarks of the first Trump Administration was a tougher stance towards China compared to his predecessors, through tit-for-tat tariffs and an Indo-Pacific strategy that aimed to curb Beijing’s growing influence in the Western Pacific.
    — Chad de Guzman, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
  • How to Bet Timberwolves vs. Lakers Following up a game like Tuesday's would be tough for the Wolves under any circumstances, but with Edwards battling a calf injury and DiVincenzo potentially sidelined, beating the Lakers in L.A. will be that much more difficult.
    — David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • In December 2024, the brand opened a cute hut that could have been plucked out of a Disney cartoon on the beach of the St. Regis Kanai Resort in Riviera Maya.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Trendy cuffed denim and new takes on the brand’s beloved barrel jeans are in the mix, but that’s only the beginning; cute shorts, skirts, and capris are also up for grabs (and starting to sell out).
    — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of cute
Adjective
  • The indictment alleges Tian also sent Duan links to Google Drive accounts containing sensitive information on US military weapons systems, such as Bradley and Stryker US Army fighting vehicles.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The exfiltrated data included the following browser files, which can store login cookies, passwords, browsing histories, and other sensitive data.
    — Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • Soft and subtle raspberry aromas, as well as rich black cherries and beef jerky.
    — Tom Mullen, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
  • These devices are more precise and subtle than old fashioned metal detectors, using specific sensitivity settings and artificial intelligence to detect hidden weapons as opposed to harmless items such as keys and phones, allowing people to enter facilities with very little delay.
    — Chris Boyette, CNN, 2 Mar. 2025
Definition of subtle
Adjective
  • While many countries, states and major companies have taken steps to ban problematic plastics and set ambitious goals for waste reduction, the collective effort is still falling far short of what's needed to stem the tide of plastic waste.
    — Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Yet deeply ingrained in U.S. culture is the problematic notion that being a monolingual English speaker should be the norm.
    — Annie Abbott, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
Definition of problematic
Adjective
  • Burrowes’ new fraud lawsuit also includes claims for unjust enrichment and deceptive business practices.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken some steps to regulate the collection of data in vehicles, focusing on consumer protection and preventing deceptive practices.
    — Eric Reicin, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
Definition of deceptive

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“Tricky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricky. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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