1
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
a tricky musical passage for the woodwind section
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tricky
The rapper took the stage at the BET Awards 2026 held at Peacock Theater on Sunday in Los Angeles and pulled a tricky stunt wearing colorful thigh-high boots.
—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
29 June 2026
Like Orton’s prior work, The Ground Above traverses some tricky emotional terrain.
—
David Harris,
SPIN,
29 June 2026
The widespread assumption has always been that the female orgasm is innately tricky, but data show that lesbians climax almost as often as men do.
—
Melanie Thernstrom,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
The disorienting change will be tricky to implement in a way that appeals to risk-averse US financial institutions and other firms, according to former Treasury officials, sanctions attorneys and industry sources monitoring the process.
—
Daniel Flatley,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tricky
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
29 June 2026
Like Orton’s prior work, The Ground Above traverses some tricky emotional terrain.
—
David Harris,
SPIN,
29 June 2026
The widespread assumption has always been that the female orgasm is innately tricky, but data show that lesbians climax almost as often as men do.
—
Melanie Thernstrom,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
The disorienting change will be tricky to implement in a way that appeals to risk-averse US financial institutions and other firms, according to former Treasury officials, sanctions attorneys and industry sources monitoring the process.
—
Daniel Flatley,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tricky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricky
Adjective
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Sarah Buck, Chicago Driving has become harder The rapid increase in bike lanes has made driving much more difficult and tedious, with numerous delays due to many streets being reduced to one lane in busy areas.
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Republican strategists have welcomed those nominations as an opening for attack in a difficult election year.
Adjective
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That doesn't enable cunning and unprincipled men to subvert the power of the people.
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For decades, humans mined antibiotic molecules from microbes and tweaked them to develop new drugs, staying ahead of evolution’s cunning countermeasures.
Adjective
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MacDonald agrees that some of Kiros' positions could put Democratic candidates in a tough spot.
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The 34 measures include cuts to income tax for low- and middle income families, an overhaul of the creaking pension system, tougher rules for employees' sick leave and a reduction of the country's stifling bureaucracy.
Adjective
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Berries, given their naturally tiny nature, are a super cute choice.
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The pair have to find their friends (JJ included) which leads to a cute game of peekaboo.
Adjective
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Rescuers then wait intently for any indication of life, using sensitive microphones or telescopic cameras or simply pressing an ear against the rubble, hoping to detect a voice, a knock or the faintest movement.
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So far, the administration has sued multiple states unsuccessfully in attempts to obtain sensitive voter-roll data to run through a federal database known as the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, program.
Adjective
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Off a slick feed from Houssem Aouar, Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez scored his second goal of the game to give Algeria a 3-2 lead.
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Appollis made some slick dribbles to set up a right-footed shot from outside the box.
Adjective
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In a 2025 report issued on Tuesday, the intelligence agency said there were no indications that the party had backed off its problematic views.
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This is where overly conservative portfolios can become problematic.
Adjective
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Obviously there’s a resemblance but in a really subtle and tasteful way.
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Your reward will be the sight of a tiny pale point with a subtle blue-green tint.
Cite this Entry
“Tricky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricky. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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