difficult to describe; "a haunting elusive odor"
Used in a Sentence
elusive
How to use elusive in a sentence. Example sentences and definitions for elusive.
Editorial note
There was one elusive bug I couldn't figure out that day.
Examples14
Definitions4
Parts of speech1
Quick take
difficult to describe; "a haunting elusive odor"
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of elusive gathered in one view.
skillful at eluding capture; "a cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist"- David Kline
difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze; "his whole attitude had undergone a subtle change"; "a subtle difference"; "that elusive thing the soul"
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for elusive.
adjective
difficult to describe; "a haunting elusive odor"
adjective
skillful at eluding capture; "a cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist"- David Kline
adjective
difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze; "his whole attitude had undergone a subtle change"; "a subtle difference"; "that elusive thing the soul"
See also: subtle
adjective
making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe; "a baffling problem"; "I faced the knotty problem of what to have for breakfast"; "a problematic situation at home"
See also: baffling, knotty, problematic, problematical, tough
Example sentences
There was one elusive bug I couldn't figure out that day.
And a hidden markov can be quite elusive.
It's the elusive complete rewrite, without the re-.
Maybe in another 10 years, he'll have managed to lay hands on the elusive 64-bit computer.
Nash proved a very difficult and elusive theorem early in his career.
Some of those resources are more elusive: they come from gas clouds which are hard to detect, or components found in uncharted systems.
Many researchers are working on it, but a solution remains elusive until now.
Some courageous soldiers attempted to get an elusive mass murderer and bring him to justice.
It is fascinating to see how an engineer approaches an elusive problem.
They were very concerned about the ever-elusive "culture fit", and the entire team made an effort to get to know me, taking me out to meals, etc.
Because if you are, consider that you may be significantly overestimating its influence on the elusive "tech circles".
That elusive ad sharing model for content creators?After that figure out for who. Reddit's core is dying, and eventually it'll be fully crowded out by the mainstreaming of rage comics, aww pics, and counter-Tumblr-pseudo-nerdy programming.
If ever there was an article in need of some good illustrations... Does anyone have an example of one of these "solutions in natural numbers modulo N give us other, more elusive, avatars"?
"The obsession with academic success has even given rise to a new expression among young people: "umchinah," or my mother's friend's son – the elusive competitor who excels at everything.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use elusive in a sentence?
There was one elusive bug I couldn't figure out that day.
What does elusive mean?
difficult to describe; "a haunting elusive odor"
What part of speech is elusive?
elusive is commonly used as adjective.