tricksy

adjective

ˈtrik-sē How to pronounce tricksy (audio)
tricksier; tricksiest
Synonyms of tricksynext
1
: full of tricks : prankish
2
a
: difficult to cope with or handle : trying
a tricksy job
b
archaic : having the craftiness of a trickster
3
chiefly British : ornately contrived in technique or effect
4
archaic : smartly attired : spruce
tricksiness noun

Synonyms of tricksy

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Examples of tricksy in a Sentence

it's a bit tricksy to have a candid conversation with the company president without appearing to be either presumptuous or obsequious a tricksy provocateur who will make the most outrageous statements just to get a reaction
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Such films sometimes feel like tricksy technical experiments. — The Economist, 18 June 2020 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

Word History

Etymology

tricks, plural of trick

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler
The first known use of tricksy was in 1552

Rhymes for tricksy

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Browse Nearby Words

trickstering
tricksy
trick valve
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tricksy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tricksy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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