tricky

[trik-ee]

adjective

trickier, trickiest 

1. given to or characterized by deceitful tricks; crafty; wily.

   Synonyms: shrewd, sly, artful

2. skilled in clever tricks or dodges.

   Synonyms: adroit, skillful

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

   Synonyms: perilous, unreliable, unpredictable, doubtful

tricky

/ ˈtrɪkɪ /

adjective

1. involving snags or difficulties

   a tricky job

2. needing careful and tactful handling

   a tricky situation

3. characterized by tricks; sly; wily

   a tricky dealer

Other Word Forms

• trickily adverb
• trickiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tricky¹

First recorded in 1780–90; trick + -y ¹

Example Sentences

But the trickiest equation both teams have to solve has more to do with camaraderie than course architecture.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

These and other alternative data sources have their drawbacks—they often only cover a small share of the labor force and using them to estimate the state of the broader job market can be tricky.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

If she pushes for loose monetary policy and stacks her cabinet with doves, that could make tightening trickier for the BOJ.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

He still faces a tricky balancing act of how to end the war and maintain his domestic political support, without giving too much up to Hamas.

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Such investigations are tricky because of the numerous ways to earn money online.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• complex 
• critical 
• delicate 
• intricate 
• knotty 
• precarious 
• problematic 
• risky 
• rocky 
• sensitive 
• sticky 
• thorny 
• ticklish 
• touchy 
• unstable