elusive

adjective

elu·​sive ē-ˈlü-siv How to pronounce elusive (audio)
-ˈlü-ziv
: tending to elude: such as
a
: tending to evade grasp or pursuit
elusive prey
b
: hard to comprehend or define
c
: hard to isolate or identify
elusively adverb
elusiveness noun

Examples of elusive in a Sentence

But for all their influence, D.C. lobbyists have failed to attain one elusive goal: public respect. Franklin Foer, New Republic, 25 Mar. 2002
In truth, the ideal of wholly disinterested scholarship—in any field of research—will probably remain an elusive one. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., New York Times, 4 Apr. 1998
His meanings have been known to be elusive, which is why he appeals to pop cryptographers. Sarah Vowell, GQ, November 1998
This boson is so central to the state of physics today, so crucial to our final understanding of the structure of matter, yet so elusive, that I have given it a nickname: the God Particle. Leon Lederman et al., The God Particle, 1993
The truth may prove elusive. the giant squid is one of the ocean's most elusive inhabitants
Recent Examples on the Web Still, scientists hundreds of years ago managed to study these elusive subjects with ingenious methods. Maddie Bender, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024 This time around, though, the sun will be at the peak activity of an 11-year solar cycle, making its elusive corona especially visible, astronomers say. USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 But Ellison had backed away from Hollywood in 2019 after a series of missteps and become elusive even to some of her own executives. Thr Staff, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 But the repercussions of capture and release on shark physiology have remained relatively elusive. Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Dig deeper into the evolution of Black tacos with my essay, as well as a guide with nine places to try Black tacos across L.A. and a profile of an elusive Leimert Park taco window that draws hours-long lines. Danielle Dorsey, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2024 See photos of the phenomenon and read about the photographer and artist duo who captured the elusive firefall last month. Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 6 Mar. 2024 Read Next Trove of 1,000-year-old vases held ‘unexpected’ and ‘elusive’ surprise. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 Despite saying bipartisan work had become too elusive, Sinema will leave the Senate with several significant legislative victories, such as a trillion-dollar national infrastructure law and the biggest changes to gun laws in three decades. Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elusive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see elusion

First Known Use

1719, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of elusive was in 1719

Dictionary Entries Near elusive

Cite this Entry

“Elusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elusive. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

elusive

adjective
elu·​sive ē-ˈlü-siv How to pronounce elusive (audio)
-ziv
1
: hard to find or capture : evasive
elusive prey
2
: hard to understand or define
an elusive idea
elusively adverb
elusiveness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on elusive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!