as in playfulness
a natural disposition for playful behavior
the novelist has a known weakness for literary tricksiness, so the reader should be skeptical of the narrator's trustworthiness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of tricksiness
The Economist, 18 June 2020
Adjective
Such films sometimes feel like tricksy technical experiments.
—The Economist, 18 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricksiness
Adjective
-
James is playing the final year of his contract at $52.6 million, which is a very difficult number for teams to pay.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 July 2025
-
Any pass to Warren Zaire-Emery in midfield is difficult too, due to Kim pushing out of defence.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
The sophisticated audiences of 2025 require a little more grit, more mischievous fun.—
Rachel Elspeth Gross,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
-
Zada lives up to the mischievous troublemaker in Lockhart’s book.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
Even these young players already have major tournament experience — a huge strength given their tough group.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
-
Stark disparities in job opportunities available overall compared to the 25 major contractors may indicate these companies are starting to make tough decisions following DOGE cuts, according to Cory Stahle, the report’s author and economist at the Hiring Lab.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
People used to hang iron on their doors to keep fae and other wicked spirits out at night.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
What makes the series so delightful is Osman’s wicked sense of humor, and the empathy suffused throughout.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
For all the mortal mischief a nuclear weapons facility could whip up, there is very little radiation risk associated with the job of enriching uranium-235 up to the level of 90% purity needed to produce a bomb.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
24 June 2025
-
The suspects could face charges for criminal mischief and felony theft valued at $1 million or more, according to authorities.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
The thundering crackles and sharp bangs of pyrotechnics can not only frighten dogs but also cause discomfort to their sensitive ears.—
Logan Holland,
People.com,
4 July 2025
-
This usually involves receiving a fake text, email or even a phone call designed to trick you into clicking a malicious link or sharing sensitive information.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
Even more recently, Dua Lipa debuted a playful French manicure with white polka dots on black tips, adding even more white spots all-over a couple accent nails.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
5 July 2025
-
Ludus refers to playful, game-like love that values fun and avoids deep commitment.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
Over and over, Victor argues for the emotional experience of suffering, that recovering from terrible trauma is genuinely complicated.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
27 June 2025
-
Many of the children have trauma and complicated needs, and one of the responses may be to run away.—
Ginny Monk,
Hartford Courant,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tricksiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricksiness. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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