: tending to elude: such as
a
: tending to evade grasp or pursuit
elusive prey
b
: hard to comprehend or define
c
: hard to isolate or identify
elusively
adverb
elusiveness
noun
Examples of elusive in a Sentence
But for all their influence, D.C. lobbyists have failed to attain one elusive goal: public respect.
—
Franklin Foer, New Republic, 25 Mar. 2002
In truth, the ideal of wholly disinterested scholarship—in any field of research—will probably remain an elusive one.
—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., New York Times, 4 Apr. 1998
His meanings have been known to be elusive, which is why he appeals to pop cryptographers.
—Sarah Vowell, GQ, November 1998
This boson is so central to the state of physics today, so crucial to our final understanding of the structure of matter, yet so elusive, that I have given it a nickname: the God Particle.
—Leon Lederman et al., The God Particle, 1993
The truth may prove elusive.
the giant squid is one of the ocean's most elusive inhabitants
Franklin Foer, New Republic, 25 Mar. 2002
In truth, the ideal of wholly disinterested scholarship—in any field of research—will probably remain an elusive one.
—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., New York Times, 4 Apr. 1998
His meanings have been known to be elusive, which is why he appeals to pop cryptographers.
—Sarah Vowell, GQ, November 1998
This boson is so central to the state of physics today, so crucial to our final understanding of the structure of matter, yet so elusive, that I have given it a nickname: the God Particle.
—Leon Lederman et al., The God Particle, 1993
The truth may prove elusive.
the giant squid is one of the ocean's most elusive inhabitants
Recent Examples on the Web
This elusive catch, worth a fortune, pushes the fleet into remote territory and tests their experience and resilience at the edge of the world.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
Amid increasingly dire reports, a growing body of pilot projects and best practices is also beginning to emerge, though clear direction on how to scale them remains elusive.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 22 Apr. 2026
All four female soloists on the ballot, in fact, didn’t make it past the voting stage, which included three-time nominee and noted elusive chanteuse Mariah Carey.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2026
Projects were started, interrupted, and reworked; financing proved elusive; and the director and actor spent years moving between continents, living in Europe for nearly a decade while chasing creative freedom outside the studio system.
—Michelle Duncan, Architectural Digest, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elusive
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Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
Amid increasingly dire reports, a growing body of pilot projects and best practices is also beginning to emerge, though clear direction on how to scale them remains elusive.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 22 Apr. 2026
All four female soloists on the ballot, in fact, didn’t make it past the voting stage, which included three-time nominee and noted elusive chanteuse Mariah Carey.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2026
Projects were started, interrupted, and reworked; financing proved elusive; and the director and actor spent years moving between continents, living in Europe for nearly a decade while chasing creative freedom outside the studio system.
—Michelle Duncan, Architectural Digest, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elusive
Cite this Entry
“Elusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elusive. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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