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⇱ elusive - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

elusive

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ɪˈluːsɪv/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ɪˈlusɪv/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(i lo̅o̅′siv)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
e•lu•sive /ɪˈlusɪv/USA pronunciation  also e•lu•so•ry/ɪˈlusəri/USA pronunciation   adj. 
  1. eluding one's understanding;
    hard to express or define:elusive concepts in that poetry.
  2. skillful at keeping away from, escaping from, or evading:an elusive criminal.
e•lu•sive•ly, adv. 
e•lu•sive•ness, n. [uncountable]See -lud-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
e•lu•sive  (i lo̅o̅′siv),USA pronunciation adj. 
  1. eluding clear perception or complete mental grasp; hard to express or define:an elusive concept.
  2. cleverly or skillfully evasive:a fishtoo elusive to catch.
Also, e•lu•so•ry  (i lo̅o̅′sə rē, -zə-).USA pronunciation 
  • elus(ion) + -ive 1710–20
e•lu′sive•ly, adv. 
e•lu′sive•ness, n. 
    2. tricky, slippery, shifty; puzzling, baffling.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
elusive /ɪˈluːsɪv/ adj
  1. difficult to catch: an elusive thief
eˈlusiveness n USAGE: See illusory
'elusive' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: is an elusive [goal, concept, quality, target], the elusive nature of, chase an elusive dream, more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "elusive" in the title:

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it gave more than it got, in terms of that elusive feeling of confidence
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PRESENT PERFECT -- elusive to clear-cut rules
progress ... has proved [elusive]
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recent events are often as elusive as Tudor documentaries
someone <elusive>
success seems as inevitable in retrospect as it is elusive when sought.
the elusive antelope
more...

Look up "elusive" at Merriam-Webster
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