tricksy

adjective

ˈtrik-sē How to pronounce tricksy (audio)
Definition of tricksynext
1
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling it's a bit tricksy to have a candid conversation with the company president without appearing to be either presumptuous or obsequious

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness a tricksy provocateur who will make the most outrageous statements just to get a reaction

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tricksy The structure is a bit tricksier, flipping between the present — which finds our two inevitable lovers estranged and in their early thirties — and a staggered series of flashbacks catching up to it. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026 Such films sometimes feel like tricksy technical experiments. — The Economist, 18 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricksy
  1. difficult
  2. mischievous
  3. tough
  4. wicked
  5. sensitive
  6. playful
  7. complicated
  8. problematic
Adjective
  • Strickland said even getting equipment on the road during construction can be difficult for farmers.
    — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 July 2026
  • While following the money may be difficult, there are other signs of the growing role of organized crime in politics.
    — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Catching mischievous agents in real time The Hugging Face incident reveals the importance of real-time monitoring.
    — Harry Booth, Time, 24 July 2026
  • Everyone’s favorite fast-running, mischievous, coin-collecting hedgehog is turning 35.
    — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 20 July 2026
Definition of mischievous
Adjective
  • There were tough conversations between Naylor and Cleveland’s coaches and front office.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • Villegas, after a tough primary election battle against Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, has roughly $572,000.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Grass skirts fly as women perform the wicked-fast Tahitian Otea dance, and the audience holds its breath during the Samoan fire knife performance.
    — Tracey Teo, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
  • Among Ashley’s many sins, none were more wicked than the alienation of club legends, particularly Keegan.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of wicked
Adjective
  • As the man building rings and providing backdrops with the event names on them for big press conferences, he is often trusted with sensitive information long before it is announced.
    — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • The risk manager requested anonymity to discuss sensitive business interests.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • The stone in the shower had an almost iridescent quality to it, reminiscent of a seashell, a playful nod to Maui’s beaches.
    — Ronee Uyeshiro, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2026
  • Pieces that are personal, playful, and don’t quite match are the ones that make a room or an outfit unmistakably one’s own.
    — ALEX EAGLE, Vogue, 26 July 2026
Definition of playful
Adjective
  • My mom was at least as complicated as my dad, in terms of gender, mental illness, depression.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 July 2026
  • Trade grades are rarely straightforward, and this one is a little more complicated because the players lack lengthy track records.
    — Chad Jennings, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of complicated
Adjective
  • The affected vehicles, which were built between 2021 and 2026, feature a problematic wiring harness that increases the risk of engine fires.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 24 July 2026
  • Particulars matter Haiti observers warn that considering the country’s vexing history with electoral fraud, violence, problematic votes and post-election crises, the particulars of its electoral machinery do matter.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
Definition of problematic

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Cite this Entry

“Tricksy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricksy. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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