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.

For over an hour, a harder, grittier version of the club seemed ready to overcome its history and lift this elusive trophy.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

By carefully arranging tiny particles of silver into custom-built structures, they created and stabilized a previously elusive state of matter that had existed only in theoretical models.

From Science Daily • May 30, 2026

Hegseth's remarks came as a peace deal between the United States and Iran to end their war remained elusive.

From Barron's • May 30, 2026

A trade deal between the two countries remains elusive, still.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

In the dream, the elusive Astelle Jordan was no longer missing.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

Vocabulary lists containing elusive

List 2

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

The Hunger Games

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The Things They Carried

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!