elusive
Americanadjective
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eluding or failing to allow for or accommodate a clear perception or complete mental grasp; hard to express or define.
an elusive concept.
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cleverly or skillfully evasive.
a fish too elusive to catch.
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difficult to find.
hoping that elusive donors will finally contribute.
adjective
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difficult to catch
an elusive thief
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preferring or living in solitude and anonymity
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difficult to remember
an elusive thought
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of elusive
Compare meaning
How does elusive compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Things that are elusive are hard to find, pin down, or remember. They slip right out of your grasp. Ever try to catch a mouse? It's not easy, because mice are quick and elusive — they're tough to catch. Rabbits are speedy, so they're elusive too. Also, things that are tough to understand or describe are elusive — like the concepts of love and beauty. If you had an idea and then forgot it, the idea is elusive: it slipped away. Anything you can't get hold of, with your hands or with your brain, is elusive.
Vocabulary lists containing elusive
List 2
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The Hunger Games
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The Things They Carried
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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.
Elusive street artist Banksy has confirmed he is behind a new mural that has appeared in Bayswater, west London.
From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025
Elusive DJ Zack Bia has finally addressed speculation that he inspired Olivia Rodrigo’s heartbreak track “Vampire.”
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 18, 2023
Elusive, childlike and literally untouchable, Trelia seems more a creature of faerie than a human being.
From Washington Post • Dec. 8, 2022
Elusive and utterly weird, wrinkle-faced bats are something of a “unicorn” among bat researchers, said Sharlene Santana, a bat biologist at the University of Washington who wasn’t involved in the study.
From New York Times • Nov. 11, 2020
Elusive as they are, they are the only weapon the Scholars have.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
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.
