Dictionary Workbench Ondict
Word Bank Import Dict Cloud Sync

    tricky

    Dictionary entry view. Switch to definition mode above when you know the meaning but not the word.

    tricky
    trick‧y S3 /ˈtrɪki/ adjective (comparative trickier, superlative trickiest)
     Word Family: noun: trick, trickery, trickster; adjective: tricky, trick; verb: trick
    1. something that is difficult to deal with or do because it is complicated and full of problems:
        I can get you tickets for the show but it’ll be tricky.
    2. a tricky person is clever and likely to deceive you
       SYN  crafty
         
    THESAURUS
       ▪ difficult not easy to do, understand, or deal with: a difficult question | The homework was really difficult. | It is difficult to see how peace can be achieved in the region.
       ▪ hard difficult. Hard is less formal than difficult and is very common in spoken English: The test was really hard. | a hard decision | It was hard to forgive him.
       ▪ tough very difficult, because you have to use a lot of effort, or because it affects you emotionally: a tough race | Doctors have to make tough decisions about who to treat first. | The team faces some tough competition. | Life is tough sometimes.
       ▪ tricky difficult because it is complicated and full of problems: She had helped him out of a tricky situation. | Merging the two companies was bound to be tricky.
       ▪ awkward rather difficult to deal with – used especially when something could be embarrassing: You’ve put me in a very awkward position. | It was getting dark and foggy, which made the rescue even more awkward.
       ▪ challenging difficult in an interesting or enjoyable way: I wanted a job that was more challenging. | a challenging piece of music
       ▪ demanding difficult and tiring, because it takes a lot of effort: Being a nurse in a busy hospital is a demanding job. | it can be very demanding bringing up young children.
       ▪ daunting if something seems daunting, you think that it will be difficult and you do not feel confident about being able to do it: a daunting challenge | The task seemed a little daunting at first.
       ▪ delicate needing to be dealt with carefully or sensitively, especially in order to avoid offending people or causing problems: This is a very delicate subject, and it can be difficult to talk about it with your parents. | He thanked me for the way in which this delicate matter had been handled.