as in slippery
hard to find, capture, or isolate
the giant squid is one of the ocean's most elusive inhabitants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 elusive
And winning has become an elusive quest.
—
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Sep. 2025
Is not losing yourself in a stream of deep thoughts in search of that elusive answer not part of the process of gaining wisdom?
—Paul Greenberg, Time, 20 Sep. 2025
Hunting for an elusive sock amidst a mountain of other clean laundry ready to be folded can waste too much time during the search process.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2025
Each drive offered us the choice to head down into the valley—in search of the elusive black leopard or to visit the hippos dotting the riverbank—or up onto the plateau where the chance to see lions, cheetahs, zebras, and elephants awaited.
—Rebekah Peppler, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elusive
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Sep. 2025
Is not losing yourself in a stream of deep thoughts in search of that elusive answer not part of the process of gaining wisdom?
—Paul Greenberg, Time, 20 Sep. 2025
Hunting for an elusive sock amidst a mountain of other clean laundry ready to be folded can waste too much time during the search process.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2025
Each drive offered us the choice to head down into the valley—in search of the elusive black leopard or to visit the hippos dotting the riverbank—or up onto the plateau where the chance to see lions, cheetahs, zebras, and elephants awaited.
—Rebekah Peppler, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elusive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elusive
Adjective
-
Oil and water don't mix, meaning that oil added to pasta water will just float on the surface, creating a slippery film on the pasta once it's drained.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Satin and silk feel very soft and smooth against the skin, but some people may find them a bit too slippery.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In 2020, a team of astronomers observing GN-z11 reported a transient but brilliant flash of ultraviolet light.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Residence requires voluntary physical presence as a non-transient inhabitant; domicile requires both physical presence in a certain location and an intent to make that location the individual’s one permanent home.—
Tom Cullinan,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The huge amounts of space junk in orbit, ranging from nuts and bolts to rocket fairings and dead satellites, pose a serious hazard to satellites and the International Space Station, which has to regularly take evasive action to dodge space shrapnel, much of which is moving faster than a bullet.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Meanwhile, my attempts to live in the moment, even those abetted by meditation, have felt squishy, uncertain, and evasive.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elusive. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share