elusive
[ ih-loo-siv ]
/ ɪˈlu sɪv /
Save This Word!
adjective
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.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "IS" VS. "ARE"
"Is" it time for a new quiz? "Are" you ready? Then prove your excellent skills on using "is" vs. "are."
Question 1 of 7
IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?
Also e·lu·so·ry [ih-loo-suh-ree, -zuh-]. /ɪˈlu sə ri, -zə-/.
OTHER WORDS FROM elusive
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH elusive
elusive , illusoryDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use elusive in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for elusive
elusive
/ (ɪˈluːsɪv) /
adjective
difficult to catchan elusive thief
preferring or living in solitude and anonymity
difficult to rememberan elusive thought
Derived forms of elusive
elusively, adverbelusiveness, nounundefined elusive
See illusory
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012