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Synonym Chooser

How is the word tricky distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of tricky are artful, crafty, cunning, foxy, slick, sly, and wily. While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.

a tricky political operative

When can artful be used instead of tricky?

While the synonyms artful and tricky are close in meaning, artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.

elicited the information by artful questioning

When is it sensible to use crafty instead of tricky?

While in some cases nearly identical to tricky, crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

When might cunning be a better fit than tricky?

The words cunning and tricky can be used in similar contexts, but cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

When would foxy be a good substitute for tricky?

The synonyms foxy and tricky are sometimes interchangeable, but foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.

a foxy publicity man planting stories

When is slick a more appropriate choice than tricky?

In some situations, the words slick and tricky are roughly equivalent. However, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

When could sly be used to replace tricky?

The words sly and tricky are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.

a sly corporate raider

Where would wily be a reasonable alternative to tricky?

The meanings of wily and tricky largely overlap; however, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

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 tricky Dressing for transitional weather can be tricky, but Oprah just simplified it with her lightweight long-sleeve blouse. Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025 But his relationship with food has proved trickier to wrestle control of. Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025 Brain Cancer Brain cancer presents one of the trickiest challenges in oncology, with a five-year survival rate of around 33%. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025 These are strictly prohibited in the traditional hospital setting but can be tricky to regulate in patients' personal spaces. Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tricky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricky
Adjective
  • Ncell, Nepal’s second-largest telecommunications service provider, noted that shutting down all platforms at once was, in any case, technically difficult and warned that the move would severely impact business.
    Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Last summer, after years of hip problems and some difficult surgeries to address them, Jill had an operation that went poorly.
    Bianca Bosker, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • On this occasion, Fernandez’s cross flies over Cucurella and straight into the thick of the action, where Joao Pedro’s cunning movement creates space to get his header away.
    Thom Harris, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Bening will costar on the series as Beulah Jackson, who's described as the powerful, cunning, and charming head of a major ranch in Texas.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The backcourt duo of Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, also known as the StudBudz, are shifty, tough shot-making guards who can get hot in a hurry.
    Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
  • And that’s tough on those guys.
    Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The buzzy long-sleeve shirt has a cute ribbed design, and it’s made of soft, stretchy fabric that doesn’t feel overly restrictive.
    Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
  • This cute camisole is perfect for lounging around or pairing with your favorite sweatpants or leggings.
    Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Formulated without alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, the TheraBreath Whitening Fresh Breath Oral Rinse uses glucose oxidase and enzymes called papain to help break up stains and kill bad-breath-causing bacteria—all without aggravating sensitive teeth and gums.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Organizations are increasingly relying on AI to handle the initial assessment load, especially in high-volume or compliance-sensitive hiring scenarios.
    Aaron Dhaliwal, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • His celebration was subtle yet suave, a drop of his bat with a flick of his wrist.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
  • This is clearly a quick screen and may not pick up more subtle issues.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This readily available and inexpensive treatment could change health outcomes for a significant number of cancer survivors who have problematic gene variants.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Sep. 2025
  • France, where L’Affaire Dreyfus divided the country for years beginning in 1894, has its own problematic history.
    David Bloom, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, a group of states led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton separately sued Google for anticompetitive and deceptive practices in its ad business.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Katie’s denial was once again found to be deceptive.
    Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Tricky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricky. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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