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What is another word for elusive?

Need synonyms for elusive? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Contexts ▼

Difficult to find, catch, or achieve

Evasive or deliberately ambiguous in nature

Difficult to describe or define

Difficult to define, perceive or visualize

Transient, not permanent in nature

Not tangible, unable to be felt by touch

Barely perceptible to the senses

Behaving or prone to behave in an untrustworthy, deceitful, or insincere way

Reluctant to give information owing to caution or suspicion

Sly, cautious, and secretive

Intellectually hard to comprehend or resolve

Unable to be achieved or obtained

In an isolated or remote location

(of something abstract) Perceived only with attention to detail or subtlety

… more ▼

Adjective

Difficult to find, catch, or achieve

difficult to catch

difficult to track down

always on the move

difficult to find

hard to pin down

“There is even a personal shopping service, providing further help in tracking down that elusive pair of shoes.”

Adjective

Evasive or deliberately ambiguous in nature

indistinguishable

lacking definition

open to question

incomprehensible

open to argument

clear as dishwater

as clear as mud

hard to understand

yet to be decided

impressionistic

beyond comprehension

intentionally misleading

blurred round the edges

all Greek to me

misrepresentative

unstraightforward

more ❯

“He gave us an elusive answer.”

Adjective

Difficult to describe or define

“It's not some elusive phenomenon that you can never grasp.”

Adjective

Difficult to define, perceive or visualize

“Mr. Ward heard Dr. Allen's voice for the first time, and it seemed to excite some vague and elusive memory which could not be actually placed.”

Adjective

Transient, not permanent in nature

here today, gone tomorrow

here today and gone tomorrow

short and sweet

in wink of an eye

flash in the pan

short and sharp

here-today-gone-tomorrow

of short duration

over in a heartbeat

gone in a heartbeat

“So when we get an elusive feeling of something resembling love, we want to hang on to it.”

Adjective

Not tangible, unable to be felt by touch

imperceptible to the touch

unable to be touched

out of this world

more ❯

Adjective

Barely perceptible to the senses

indistinguishable

undistinguishable

hard to make out

inconsequential

impossible to detect

barely perceptible

hardly noticeable

hardly detectable

more ❯

Adjective

Behaving or prone to behave in an untrustworthy, deceitful, or insincere way

dishonorable^US

dishonourable^UK

double-crossing

unsportsmanlike

against the law

unauthorized^US

against the rules

under-the-table

unauthorised^UK

under the counter

sticky-fingered

not to be trusted

under the table

unconscientious

economical with the truth

not to be depended on

intentionally misleading

unconstitutional

cloak-and-dagger

misrepresentative

of dubious character

potentially illegal

under-the-counter

contrary to law

snake in the grass

in violation of law

beyond contempt

not entirely truthful

terminologically inexact

demoralizing^US

demoralising^UK

like a snake in the grass

crazy like a fox

easily corrupted

open to bribery

good-for-nothing

not trustworthy

all talk and no action

not to be relied upon

gone to the dogs

nimble-fingered

of bad reputation

insurrectionary

unsubstantiated

hole-and-corner

playing politics

not straightforward

without law and order

lacking sincerity

with tongue in cheek

under suspicion

of doubtful honesty

open to question

not quite right

more ❯

Adjective

Reluctant to give information owing to caution or suspicion

with eyes peeled

with reservations

belt-and-braces

on the qui vive

watching one's step

walking on eggs

keeping on one's toes

handling with kid gloves

keeping a weather eye on

walking on egg shells

hedging your bets

playing your cards close to your chest

having foresight

more ❯

Adjective

Sly, cautious, and secretive

behind-the-scenes

hole-and-corner

under-the-table

behind someone's back

under the table

cloak and dagger

hole and corner

cloak-and-dagger

dishonourable^UK

dishonorable^US

hole-in-the-corner

under-the-counter

strictly confidential

not for publication

not to be disclosed

not for circulation

not to be made public

behind the scenes

under one's hat

close to one's chest

not in the public domain

unauthorized^US

under the counter

unauthorised^UK

in holes and corners

mum^UK

mom^US

not trustworthy

not to be depended on

all talk and no action

not to be trusted

potentially illegal

of dubious character

unsportsmanlike

uncommunicative

playing politics

not straightforward

non-communicative

in the background

playing your cards close to your chest

crazy like a fox

as sharp as a tack

like a snake in the grass

more ❯

Adjective

Intellectually hard to comprehend or resolve

incomprehensible

difficult to understand

hard to understand

over one's head

beyond comprehension

full of twists and turns

as clear as mud

beyond one's grasp

beyond understanding

uncomprehensible

impossible to understand

thought-provoking

above your head

full of surprises

without a solution

unable to be solved

uninterpretable

out of your depth

hard to explain

not easily understood

clear as dishwater

all Greek to someone

too hard to understand

too difficult to understand

all Greek to you

particularized^US

particularised^UK

open to argument

between the lines

cloak-and-dagger

open to question

indistinguishable

impressionistic

shrouded in mystery

all Greek to me

circumlocutionary

under advisement

under examination

open to discussion

behind someone's back

behind-the-scenes

hole-and-corner

more ❯

Adjective

Unable to be achieved or obtained

Adjective

In an isolated or remote location

difficult to get to

in the backwoods

in the backveld

beyond the black stump

in the platteland

in the back of beyond

off the beaten track

in the hinterlands

in the middle of nowhere

in the tall timbers

in the backblocks

god-knows-where

off the beaten path

middle of nowhere

off beaten track

in the depths of …

in the boondocks

in the distance

beyond the horizon

more ❯

Adjective

(of something abstract) Perceived only with attention to detail or subtlety

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What is the opposite of elusive?
Sentences with the word elusive
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