ELUSIVE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for ELUSIVE?

Need another word that means the same as “elusive”? Find 9 synonyms and 30 related words for “elusive” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Elusive” are: baffling, knotty, problematic, problematical, tough, subtle, difficult to catch, difficult to find, difficult to track down

Elusive as an Adjective

Definitions of "Elusive" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “elusive” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

• Difficult to find, catch, or achieve.
• Skillful at eluding capture.
• Difficult to describe.
• Skillful at eluding capture- David Kline.
• Making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe.
• Difficult to remember.
• Difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze.

Synonyms of "Elusive" as an adjective (9 Words)

baffling	Impossible to understand; perplexing. A baffling problem.
difficult to catch	Hard to control.
difficult to find	Hard to control.
difficult to track down	Hard to control.
knotty	Extremely difficult or complex. A knotty problem.
problematic	Open to doubt or debate. If you ever get married which seems to be extremely problematic.
problematical	Making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe. The weighting of votes was particularly problematical.
subtle	Difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze. The German plan was simple yet subtle.
tough	Physically toughened. A tough character.

Usage Examples of "Elusive" as an adjective

• A haunting elusive odor.
• The elusive thought he had had moments before.
• Success will become ever more elusive.
• A cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist.
• That elusive thing the soul.

Associations of "Elusive" (30 Words)

abstruse	Difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge. An abstruse philosophical inquiry.
allusion	The practice of making allusions. An allusion to Shakespeare.
artful	Not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness- David Cannadine. The artful dodger.
complexity	A factor involved in a complicated process or situation. He enjoyed the complexity of modern computers.
covert	A flock of coots. Covert actions by the CIA.
crafty	Involving the making of decorative objects and other things by hand. A crafty crook faked an injury to escape from prison.
cunning	Marked by skill in deception. Plants have evolved cunning defences.
difficult	Not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure. She had a difficult decision to make.
esoteric	Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest. Esoteric philosophical debates.
esoterica	Esoteric or highly specialized subjects or publications. A professor of such esoterica as angelology and comparative shamanism.
furtive	Secret and sly or sordid- A.L.Guerard. Furtive behavior.
guile	Sly or cunning intelligence. He used all his guile and guts to free himself from the muddle he was in.
impalpable	Incapable of being perceived by the senses especially the sense of touch- James Jeans. An impalpable pulse.
ingenious	Showing inventiveness and skill. His theory while ingenious is most assuredly incorrect.
innuendo	An indirect (and usually malicious) implication. She s always making sly innuendoes.
insidious	Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with very harmful effects. Glaucoma is an insidious disease.
intangible	An intangible thing. An intangible feeling of impending disaster.
manipulative	Exercising unscrupulous control or influence over a person or situation. The early manipulative techniques of a three year old child.
nuance	Give nuances to. Without understanding the finer nuances you can t enjoy the humor.
obscure	Make obscure or unclear. The distinction was obscured.
recondite	Difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge. The book is full of recondite information.
secretive	(of a state or activity) characterized by the concealment of intentions and information. She was very secretive about her past.
sly	Showing in an insinuating way that one has some secret knowledge that may be harmful or embarrassing. A sly sip of water.
subtle	Crafty; cunning. The subtle fiend dissembled.
subtlety	A subtle distinction, feature, or argument. You had to admire the subtlety of the distinctions he drew.
tricky	Marked by skill in deception. I wouldn t trust her she s tricky.
undercurrent	A current below the surface of a fluid. Racial undercurrents.
undertone	A subdued or muted tone of sound or colour. Spoke in undertones.
vague	Lacking clarity or distinctness. Vague feelings of sadness.
wily	Skilled at gaining an advantage, especially deceitfully. A wily old attorney.