Synonyms of elusive

elusive

adjective

ē-ˈlü-siv 

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as in slippery

hard to find, capture, or isolate

the giant squid is one of the ocean's most elusive inhabitants

Synonyms & Similar Words

• slippery
• transient
• evasive
• fleeting
• inaccessible
• temporary
• passing
• fugitive
• ephemeral
• unavailable
• evanescent
• unobtainable
• transitory
• shifty
• cagy
• unreachable
• momentary
• unattainable
• unapproachable
• untouchable
• cagey
• short-lived
• inconvenient
• impermanent

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• available
• convenient
• attainable
• obtainable
• accessible
• reachable
• approachable

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of elusive

Progress on further ceasefire agreements has been elusive, with Trump administration officials reportedly growing increasingly irritated with Russia's negotiators. —Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025

Trump only barely provides an answer, leaving its meaning purposefully elusive. —Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 1 Apr. 2025

Once thought to have vanished from the face of the Earth, scientists have rediscovered the elusive amphibian Alsodes vittatus after a gap of 130 years. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025

An unmanned submarine accidentally uncovered an underwater camera that is believed to have been set up 55 years ago in hopes of capturing a photo of the elusive Loch Ness monster. —N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025