elusive
Americanadjective
-
eluding or failing to allow for or accommodate a clear perception or complete mental grasp; hard to express or define.
an elusive concept.
-
cleverly or skillfully evasive.
a fish too elusive to catch.
-
difficult to find.
hoping that elusive donors will finally contribute.
adjective
-
difficult to catch
an elusive thief
-
preferring or living in solitude and anonymity
-
difficult to remember
an elusive thought
Other Word Forms
- elusively adverb
- elusiveness noun
- nonelusive adjective
- nonelusively adverb
- nonelusiveness noun
- unelusive adjective
- unelusively adverb
- unelusiveness noun
- unelusory adjective
Etymology
Origin of elusive
Compare meaning
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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.
The ring’s elusive AI wasn’t sharing the answer.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026
But first, a reminder that the “peace dividend” — that is, the surge of available resources for socially beneficial spending after the cessation of hostilities — has always been an elusive concept.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026
Melania Trump has been taking on an increasingly public-facing role in recent months, after being an initially elusive presence at the White House early in her husband's second term.
From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026
Proving that in any individual case remains elusive.
From Slate • Mar. 22, 2026
“Can that possibly be the voice of the elusive Mr. Potter?”
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.