elusive
/ɪˈluː.sɪv/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Difficult to find, catch, or understand. Something elusive often seems to move away, stay hidden, or resist clear explanation.
- The answer was elusive for hours.
- She chased an elusive dream.
- The meaning remained elusive to me.
Adinary Nuance
Elusive is not the same as difficult. Difficult only means something needs effort, but elusive adds the idea that it keeps slipping away or staying unclear. It is also more specific than hard to get, and often sounds a little more formal. Writers use it for people, answers, goals, or success that seem just out of reach.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- khó nắm bắt
- Spanish
- difícil de captar
- Chinese
- 难以捉摸
- Japanese
- つかみどころのない
- Korean
- 파악하기 어려운
Etymology
Elusive comes from Latin eludere, meaning "to escape" or "to mock." It entered English in the early 1600s and kept the idea of something hard to grasp.
Common phrases
an elusive answeran elusive goalelusive evidenceelusive success
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is elusive formal or informal?
- It is fairly formal and common in writing, news, and academic English.
- What is the difference between elusive and difficult?
- Difficult means something needs effort. Elusive means it is hard to catch, find, or understand, and keeps slipping away.
- Can I use elusive for people?
- Yes. You can describe someone as elusive if they are hard to meet, contact, or understand.
- How do I use elusive in a sentence?
- Use it before a noun, like "an elusive answer" or "an elusive person."