: hard to comprehend or define
c: hard to isolate or identify
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 Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback. To date, a mere 13 horses have secured the elusive title. —Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 30 Apr. 2025 As for media appearances, Belichick has been known to be historically, unapologetically elusive — but also occasionally funny. —Steve Buckley, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 Mainstream gadgets getting elusive Even people with broader, more mainstream tech interests see tariffs impacting their options. —ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2025 An elusive supermassive blackhole has been discovered in a nearby galaxy that's millions of light-years away from Earth. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for elusive Word HistoryFirst Known Use
1719, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of elusive was in 1719 Cite this Entry“Elusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elusive. Accessed 10 May. 2025.
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