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
  • Being undefeated after a trio of difficult opening matches can only be seen as a positive, even if Newcastle’s obvious shortcomings require addressing if that run is to be prolonged.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Engineers need flight data on propulsion, aerodynamics, thermal management, guidance and other subsystems under conditions that are difficult to reproduce on the ground.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Paramount Great Again hat, but didn’t expect the mischievous executive to turn up in Edinburgh wearing the headgear.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Reports from across the UK show the mischievous character lurking outside windows and startling passersby.
    — Gina Park, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of mischievous
Adjective
  • Space-grade electronics will cost more, and the ball’s shell—made from a material tough enough to roll over steel shards and withstand minus 184 °C temperatures—has never been evaluated in lunar extremes.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Democratic leaders face tough decisions on where to spend limited party resources to win the Senate majority.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Kiss off the haters with a pretty wicked portrait from our Free Photobooth.
    — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Along with other large parts of Northwest Indiana, East Chicago was hit with power outages following a wicked storm that blasted through the area a week ago Tuesday.
    — Lauren Victory, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of wicked
Adjective
  • Tehran has no intention of backing down in the face of an American naval blockade and attacks on its oil tankers, said the official, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive matters.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the timing of the September meeting is politically sensitive, arriving just ahead of the US midterms.
    — , CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • Eisenberg’s playful comedy, which just premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, is sometimes a musical and occasionally a thriller.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
  • At a gathering with other artists, a seemingly playful party game culminates in an excruciating monologue about child abuse.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of playful
Adjective
  • Downs got a complicated Ohio State defense on the right page, made checks and took away passing lanes by consistently being in the right place.
    — Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Hossain ties up the fate of her complicated protagonist with a neat bow, leaving too many unanswered questions about the backstory and topics raised.
    — Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of complicated
Adjective
  • The lack of an alternative striker to Haaland could be problematic if the 26-year-old misses any significant period, and given Trafford played an important role in City winning two domestic cups last season, Rulli will have a lot to live up to.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • As the first episode begins, the exultant staffers arrive at work only to find out the office in mourning over the death of a beloved Softees salesman, whose problematic personal life will make the writing of the obit a nightmare of an assignment.
    — Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 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 10 Sep. 2026.

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