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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
  • The pilot must compensate manually using the controller, which can be difficult if the aircraft is far away or difficult to see.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The chocolatey all-suede style was first released in October 2023 and has become increasingly difficult to track down over the years, with certain sizes commanding premium prices on the secondary market.
    — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • The suit attempted to relitigate the eligibility of a mischievous independent Senate candidate who shares the same first and last name as the Republican incumbent, Dan Sullivan.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Her dancers contort and gyrate not only to music but to the mischievous natter of recorded dialogue, to the sound of wind and the hiss and lurch of a train.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of mischievous
Adjective
  • With the balance of power in Tallahassee at stake, Miami’s Republican state senators fended off tough challenges Tuesday night, while Democratic candidates flipped several South Florida state House seats for the minority party in Florida’s capital.
    — Miami Herald staff, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Whoever wins the contest will be stepping into one of the California’s toughest political jobs.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Mischa Glooshkoff, aka Michael Graves, has light brown curls, a wicked grin, and a wiry frame—perfect casting for the grand boulevardier who would lead my naïve young father astray.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • There’s also the problem of Angelique’s wicked stepmother, Argan’s gold-digging second wife, Beline.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of wicked
Adjective
  • State officials had provided a version of the rolls that withheld such sensitive personal information, citing privacy concerns.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026
  • An Israeli military official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media or to discuss sensitive operational matters, also confirmed the withdrawal.
    — Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • Brooklinen and Boll & Branch have breathable everyday essentials covered, while Nickey Kehoe brings a more playful approach to bedding with colorful patterns and unexpected designs.
    — Jacorey Moon, Architectural Digest, 7 Nov. 2026
  • This transition from outside to inside, from past to future, is a perfectly playful introduction to The Shinmonzen, which is skilled at balancing a lightness of touch with a seriously luxurious hotel experience.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of playful
Adjective
  • But if the aircraft also loses access to reliable navigation data, the situation can become considerably more complicated.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
  • But at the same time, domestic attacks involving guns have increased this year, leaving law enforcement, advocates and other criminal justice stakeholders taking stock of a complicated year.
    — Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of complicated
Adjective
  • What emerges from Carrère’s excavation of his mother’s past is a strikingly nuanced portrait of a brilliant, problematic scholar.
    — Madeleine Wulfahrt, New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Many legal experts, as well as the European Commission and the EU's top court, agree that reforms to the justice system introduced by PiS while in power were highly problematic.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Nov. 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 9 Nov. 2026.

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