TRICKY Synonyms: 152 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

tricky

adjective

ˈtri-kē

Definition of tricky

as in difficult

requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling a tricky musical passage for the woodwind section

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in cunning

clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means he's a tricky one, so be careful when dealing with him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Predicting the weather is always tricky, with even the most solid forecasts sometimes not living up to the hype. — Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026 Difficult to trace back Cyclospora is a trickier pathogen to track than others. — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 13 July 2026 However, moving it to a theatrical release created a tricky timing situation for the live-action Moana, which began production in mid-2024. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 11 July 2026 But Fortune’s thoughtful little charmer accomplishes the tricky task of dramatizing trauma and healing in terms accessible to all ages. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tricky

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricky

Adjective

Unlike dogs, they cannot simply be taken on longer walks, often resist dietary changes, and can be difficult to medicate consistently, making GLP-1 therapies potentially attractive if clinical trials prove successful.

— Elsa Ohlen,Carolin Roth, CNBC, 18 July 2026
Their stories recount the devastation to homes and businesses, life in temporary shelters, and the difficult process of rebuilding or relocating.

— Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

This Claudia is the opposite of Hayles’s quiet, cunning performance as Regina and conveys a phenomenal range.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 July 2026
Also of great importance in the finale is the revelation that the Soviets, thanks to the cunning genius of the Chief Designer, made it to Venus after all.

— Hunter Ingram, Variety, 10 July 2026

Definition of cunning

Adjective

White, when give the chance, has displayed a diverse offensive game, a defensive bent and an ability to make tough shots.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
The stakes for new avatar don’t feel quite as high—the specific circumstances around the former was a perfect storm that'll be tough to duplicate—but the music isn’t any less potent for it.

— Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

Sherri Shepherd looks cute in polka dots to watch Tracee Ellis Ross make her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing on July 16 in New York City.

— People Staff, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
Meredith, New Hampshire Meredith is one of those almost unbearably cute small East Coast towns—especially in the fall, when the colors really pop.

— Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 2026

Definition of cute

Adjective

High levels of fine particulate matter in the air from wildfire smoke may be unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as children and people with heart or lung conditions.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 July 2026
Right on the heels of Microsoft releasing a record number of security patches, a researcher has published exploit code that can enable low-privilege Windows accounts to make sensitive changes to administrator accounts.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 15 July 2026

Definition of sensitive

Adjective

Noe negotiated with Li Shan in a pidgin mix of French, English, and Cantonese as the workers fanned out on the wobbling platform, slipping on the slick bodies and shells of the catch.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
None This finding is a bit more in line with conventional sabermetrics wisdom, which holds that pitchers who dominate the strike zone have better long-term outcomes than those who rely on stranding runners and asking for slick fielding behind them.

— Neil Paine, New York Times, 16 July 2026

Definition of slick

Adjective

But Scheft and his team are mastering the subtle differences and plan to offer many of the same loaves available in Boston, though the bakeries will have a few different offerings.

— Connie Ogle July 17, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
In one of Nolan’s subtle but important additions to Homer’s tale, all throughout the film, everyone expresses fears about the People from the Sea, this unseen menace terrorizing different towns.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 July 2026

Definition of subtle

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“Tricky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricky. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of tricky

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