elusive

[ih-loo-siv] / ɪˈlu sɪv /

ADJECTIVE

evasive, mysterious

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ambiguous fleeting illusory incomprehensible puzzling slippery subtle tricky volatile

WEAK

baffling cagey deceitful deceptive difficult to catch elusory equivocal evanescent fallacious fraudulent fugacious fugitive greasy imponderable indefinable insubstantial intangible misleading occult phantom shifty shy stonewalling transient transitory unspecific

Antonyms

STRONGEST

definite honest intelligible stable understandable

WEAK

attracting confronting encountering enticing facing inviting

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Iran had continued to pump crude to Asia since the start of the Middle East war, partly shielded by its elusive "dark fleet".

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

And a breakthrough seems as elusive as ever, with the two-week truce deadline looming this month.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

It takes an elusive alchemy of skill, knowledge and resources—with a dash of good luck—to introduce a groundbreaking, or even life-changing, invention to the world.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

After landing elusive Masters tickets, fans are treated to nostalgic food prices that include an iconic pimento cheese sandwich for $1.50.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Whether this process would produce explosions or merely heat became the focus of a rather abstract debate, for the practicalities of harnessing the energy were elusive.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Vocabulary lists containing elusive

List 2

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The Hunger Games

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The Things They Carried

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