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

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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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricksy
  1. difficult
  2. mischievous
  3. tough
  4. wicked
  5. sensitive
  6. playful
  7. complicated
  8. problematic
Adjective
  • Sarah Buck, Chicago Driving has become harder The rapid increase in bike lanes has made driving much more difficult and tedious, with numerous delays due to many streets being reduced to one lane in busy areas.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Republican strategists have welcomed those nominations as an opening for attack in a difficult election year.
    — Susan Page, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • The bride and groom both wore custom Christian Dior looks designed by Jonathan Anderson, who’s known for elaborate, mischievous designs.
    — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Months after Scary Movie's release, Abrahams starred as the mischievous Denny Byrnes in Meet the Parents (2000).
    — Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 27 June 2026
Definition of mischievous
Adjective
  • MacDonald agrees that some of Kiros' positions could put Democratic candidates in a tough spot.
    — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 2 July 2026
  • The 34 measures include cuts to income tax for low- and middle income families, an overhaul of the creaking pension system, tougher rules for employees' sick leave and a reduction of the country's stifling bureaucracy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Yamal was a thorn in Saudi Arabia’s side, drifting infield to unleash shots from distance but also peppering the penalty area with wicked deliveries from the right flank.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 2 July 2026
  • Has Sugar’s inherent decency become something of a moral palate cleanser for Oz’s wicked ways?
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2026
Definition of wicked
Adjective
  • Rescuers then wait intently for any indication of life, using sensitive microphones or telescopic cameras or simply pressing an ear against the rubble, hoping to detect a voice, a knock or the faintest movement.
    — Fernanda Pesce, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • So far, the administration has sued multiple states unsuccessfully in attempts to obtain sensitive voter-roll data to run through a federal database known as the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, program.
    — Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 1 July 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • The bar program is playful, colorful and communal — expect to see a little something for everyone.
    — Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
  • The playful exchange is the latest glimpse into the couple's famously candid relationship.
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026
Definition of playful
Adjective
  • Anticipation for the milestone holiday has been building for much of the year, serving as an opportunity for Americans to reflect on their complicated history as onetime colonists of an empire who became a superpower of their own.
    — Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • The study authors caution that the model should be applied carefully to more complicated perovskites in which structural changes and dielectric effects occur simultaneously.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 5 July 2026
Definition of complicated
Adjective
  • In a 2025 report issued on Tuesday, the intelligence agency said there were no indications that the party had backed off its problematic views.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • This is where overly conservative portfolios can become problematic.
    — Andrew Rosen, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of problematic

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tricky
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Cite this Entry

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

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