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

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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 Undoing those leases later, officials add, could be tricky and expensive for the state. — Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 9 Aug. 2026 Solar observation can be tricky or underwhelming when trying to observe with handheld methods such as using solar eclipse glasses and solar binoculars. — Harry Bennett, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2026 The second trickier and clumsier aside happens when Banderas’ chef tells Tony the tragedy of 17th century French cook François Vatel, who literally fell on his sword before serving a banquet to Louis XIV. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 How to Deadhead Hydrangeas Learning how to deadhead hydrangeas in the summer isn’t tricky. — Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tricky

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricky

Adjective

Establishing that sense of familiarity requires time spent playing and training together, something made more difficult by a constant carousel of new signings.

— Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
Nugraha said difficult terrain has complicated efforts, with some hotspots located on steep volcanic slopes that are difficult to reach by land.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

With the correct number of dots, no arrangement, however cunning, can dodge these shapes forever.

— Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026
The simplest way to protect them from being ripped off by a cunning adversary is to get the customer in a queue and serve them your special magic on your terms.

— Clem Chambers, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of cunning

Adjective

That left the debtor having to prove the negative that the debtor really didn't have any way to re-establish control over trust assets, and such was (and still is) a very tough sell.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Lombard also helped turn a double play in the second inning and handled another tough one-hopper hit by Cesar Prieto in the seventh.

— Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

Get the perfect lowkey look by pairing it with sneakers and a sun hat, then swap out your shoes for cute sandals and a cardigan in the evening.

— Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
Their cute, elderly golden retriever, Cassie, is used for such baldly emotionally manipulative ends.

— Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of cute

Adjective

That cushion grew in the 37th minute when Zambian forward Prisca Chilufya, who plays for Angel City FC in the NWSL, doubled their lead with a slick finish off a cross.

— Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2026
The reaction strips off the stubborn chlorine atoms and clips the massive polymer chains into smaller, slicker segments.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of slick

Adjective

The herbal shiso adds a subtle savory depth, delivering a clean, refreshing balance to the textures and flavor.

— Angela Hansberger, AJC.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Ask someone to review a two-hour video and identify subtle violations, and they are almost guaranteed to miss something.

— Tal Lev-Ami, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of subtle

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“Tricky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricky. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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