tricky

[ trik-ee ]

See synonyms for: tricky trickily trickiness on Thesaurus.com

adjective,trick·i·er, trick·i·est.

given to or characterized by deceitful tricks; crafty; wily.
skilled in clever tricks or dodges.

deceptive, uncertain, or difficult to deal with or handle.

Origin of tricky

First recorded in 1780–90; trick + -y¹

Other words for tricky

1	artful, sly, shrewd
2	skillful, adroit
3	doubtful, unpredictable, unreliable, perilous

See synonyms for tricky on Thesaurus.com

Other words from tricky

trick·i·ly, adverb
trick·i·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tricky in a sentence

With other emerging allies the calculus is trickier and leaves less margin for error.
America Has an Unannounced ISIS Strategy, And It Involves Iran | Jacob Siegel | September 6, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
But the middle ground — medium-sized black holes — is a little trickier.
The Goldilocks of Black Holes | Matthew R. Francis | August 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
But comets, thanks to their eccentric and frequently long orbits, are trickier to study up close.
Comet Surfing on a Rocket | Matthew R. Francis | August 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
It may be a trickier dance in a primary in which the most partisan Democrats are often the only ones who show up at the polls.
It’s Matt Miller Time! Longtime Radio Host Runs for Congress | David Freedlander | February 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
It was trickier to convincingly recreate Mark's imprint as a platonic pal downstairs.
Michael Sam Is Not a ‘Distraction’ | Dave Cullen | February 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

She was fleeter than Gerda, she struck harder than Kay, she was trickier than all of them, the beloved girl.
Dangerous Ages | Rose Macaulay
Bright, being the trickier of the two, was made the nigh ox, to be more under control.
Rolf In The Woods | Ernest Thompson Seton
The comfort (hedone) of the Epicureans is the same practical philosophy the Stoics teach, only trickier, more deceitful.
The Ego and His Own | Max Stirner
Battery patents are trickier than automotive machinery patents.
With No Strings Attached | Gordon Randall Garrett (AKA David Gordon)
There were newer models and trickier weapons, but none which worked so smoothly under the touch of Andy.
Way of the Lawless | Max Brand

British Dictionary definitions for tricky

tricky

/ (ˈtrɪkɪ) /

adjectivetrickier or trickiest

involving snags or difficulties: a tricky job
needing careful and tactful handling: a tricky situation

characterized by tricks; sly; wily: a tricky dealer

Derived forms of tricky

trickily, adverb
trickiness, noun

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

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