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 One of the trickiest parts of painting certainly comes down to color selection. —Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2025 But with so many options on the market, finding the right deal might be tricky. —PC Magazine, 10 July 2025 He is expected to return soon, but his opt-out creates a tricky situation. —Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025 The window attachment installation can be tricky as well, so make sure to allocate some time and tap into your DIY persona. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 9 July 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
  • They are often considered the most beautiful irises but can be difficult to grow.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2025
  • Speaking with director Joe Johnston, Oka explained the two most difficult things to simulate digitally at the time were human skin and water.
    — Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 15 July 2025
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Honest Abe is forced to scheme, relying on grit and cunning to win the votes to abolish slavery.
    — EW Staff Published, EW.com, 4 July 2025
  • Of all the acts, though, Sudanese American vocalist Dua Saleh was the most subdued, swaying between heart-fluttering falsettos and cunning raps.
    — Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 27 June 2025
Definition of cunning
Adjective
  • The tougher policy changes are adding to the minors’ trauma, advocates say.
    — Nicol León, AZCentral.com, 22 July 2025
  • In this deep perennial border, Jordin layered tough perennials that deliver a profusion of color in the height of summer, including catmint, 'Millenium' allium, 'Cinderella' milkweed, and clary sage. 2.
    — Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 July 2025
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • For my family, our go-to choice is always Lake Como with its breathtaking scenery, cute villages, and some of the country’s best luxury hotels in this little part of Northern Italy.
    — Michelle Tchea, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2025
  • Because linen pants are comfortable and cute, the options are endless.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2025
Definition of cute
Adjective
  • And new privacy legislation in Senate Bill 1295 requires collectors of sensitive data to notify consumers if their personal data is being used to train large language models.
    — Angela Eichhorst, Hartford Courant, 15 July 2025
  • In Cisco’s 2025 Data Privacy Benchmark, 64% of global respondents worry about inadvertently exposing sensitive information through AI tools, even as nearly half admit to feeding personal data into them.
    — Boris Dzhingarov, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • Climate change continues to have a profound impact on the Great Lakes region, bringing more extreme weather, declining fish populations, and subtle but profound economic transformation.
    — Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
  • Interplay of rough and polished diamonds continued, with a wide range of hues from white to subtle greens and browns, and the use of materials such as natural jet and grand-feu enamel.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 24 July 2025
Definition of subtle
Adjective
  • True resource guarding is a serious issue that often involves strong warning signals from the dog—and can be problematic if left unaddressed.
    — Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
  • These are problematic, to say the least, as an exploit of the same could lead to the possibility of arbitrary code execution within the browser.
    — Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Definition of problematic
Adjective
  • Amazon has prevailed in a class-action lawsuit that accused it of engaging in deceptive trade practices.
    — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 19 July 2025
  • Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office sent CBZ and its constituent companies several subpoenas in September as investigators probed the chronically unsafe conditions of the companies’ properties, as well as allegations from tenants that CBZ had engaged in insurance fraud and deceptive practices.
    — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 16 July 2025
Definition of deceptive

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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 30 Jul. 2025.

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