Elusive Meaning
/ɪˈl(j)uː.sɪv/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjEvading capture, comprehension or remembrance.
adjDifficult to make precise.
Sentence Examples
Tom is very elusive.
And the truth is elusive because it knows where to hide.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ butterfly flitted away just as the photographer approached.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The rare animal is very ____ and difficult for photographers to find.
Word Origin & History
From Latin elusus, past participle of eludo (“to parry a blow, to deceive”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The temporary elusive goal / To reach the solace, to feed once more upon the synthetic reaper of loss / No matter the outcome, the cost"
— 2002, Meshuggah, Closed Eye Visuals:
"A precise definition of diarrhea is elusive"
— 2010, Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease:
"Charley chased the elusive idea through all the nooks and crannies of his drowning consciousness."
— 1910, Jack London, chapter 6, in Lost Face, archived from the original on 14 Apr 2011:
"While you're sniffing the trunks of the ponderosas to see if they're butterscotch, vanilla, strawberry, or the elusive chocolate variety, watch for Brown Creepers, an elusive variety of bird."
— 2002, Scott Roederer, Birding: Rocky Mountain National Park, page 93:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ butterfly flitted away just as the photographer approached.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The rare animal is very ____ and difficult for photographers to find.