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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 Satisfying the old and new theme park factions is tricky, Atwood said. Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 July 2025 The tricky thing about vitamin D, however, is that there are not many foods that contain this vitamin. Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 3 July 2025 After another government U-turn this week, this time on disability benefits, Reeves must now find savings elsewhere — tricky, when she's just announced a massive public spending plans — break her borrowing rules or go against Labour's campaign pledges and hike taxes on workers later this year. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 3 July 2025 But the squall on the water was separate, less substantial in terms of both space and duration — and trickier to foresee, according to Colin McKellar, a meteorologist who was on duty Saturday in Reno. Ethan Wolin, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for tricky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricky
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
  • With wit and cunning, the protagonists navigate the ever-present systems of oppression that encircle them and their relationships.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 June 2025
  • President Trump does not exhibit Bismarck’s cunning, inscrutability, or proclivity for complicated diplomacy.
    Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 24 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
  • Oh, and the best pairs of the bunch are also plain old comfy (and cute, in a gorpcore kind of way).
    Sara Coughlin, SELF, 7 July 2025
  • July 6, 2025: Rodman watching Shelton’s match at Wimbledon is so cute the ESPN announcer literally giggles trying to talk about them.
    Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 7 July 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
  • In this edition, the grey tone reflects the muted, misty landscape of the British coast, with subtle variations achieved through multiple layers of transparent lacquer.
    Matthew Catellier, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • The result was a robust workforce forecasting model, one that’s sophisticated enough to consider the subtle complexities of human behavior and help identify potential attrition risks.
    Nia Bowers, USA Today, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • Storied but problematic luxury Italian sports carmaker Maserati is not for sale; yet.
    Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • What really matters is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s problematic language -- specifically, his casual gendering of the American B-2 bombing crews.
    Becket Adams, National Review, 29 June 2025
Adjective
  • In the suit, filed Friday, Newsom says that Fox News had used deceptive edits to claim that the governor had lied in saying that Trump had not called him about deploying National Guard troops during the L.A. protests.
    Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2025
  • Florida is leading the way in what can become a national movement to crack down on hospitals’ deceptive and unfair billing practices.
    Cynthia A. Fisher, Sun Sentinel, 26 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Tricky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricky. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

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