Definition of elusive in English:

adjective

• 1Difficult to find, catch, or achieve.

  ‘success will become ever more elusive’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Pre-baiting an area that looks good is often the answer to catching one of these elusive carp.’
  • ‘He was injured last season, so we had to wait over a year before this elusive 100th was achieved!’
  • ‘He would then retreat, hoping to catch the elusive man in their new round.’
  • ‘All the evidence suggests that this is one of the key times to catch an elusive 40 pounder.’
  • ‘Vogue tried to cement what it had, even locating an elusive Leon Smet!’
  • ‘Selling is in our American blood, and the ability to do it well is elusive and admired.’
  • ‘It's about the people who come to America in search of that elusive thing, the American dream.’
  • ‘As Cherwell's editorial bemoans of our current situation, a solution is elusive.’
  • ‘Birdwatchers from all over the country have descended on a nature reserve in Cheshire in search of a rare and elusive bird.’
  • ‘There is even a personal shopping service, providing further help in tracking down that elusive pair of shoes.’
  • ‘But persuading the elusive birds to quit their historic lodgings has proved to be quite a headache.’
  • ‘Taylor is still searching for that elusive first tour win but is not setting herself any future goals and targets in the sport.’
  • ‘Women walk miles on the blazing sands in search of an elusive pot of water.’
  • ‘Bringing horses of that calibre to Scotland remains the elusive dream.’
  • ‘Reedie had been praying for that first elusive gold to come from Simon Lessing in today's men's triathlon.’
  • ‘With off-road vehicles and guns, this is a boy's day out, and all in pursuit of that elusive plump little bird.’
  • ‘Naturally, that persistent little squirrel is still driving himself nuts in pursuit of an elusive acorn.’
  • ‘So this formula, this test, to see whether or not you're compatible has been elusive so far.’
  • ‘The song became an instant hit and proved to be the group's entry into the elusive U.S. market.’
  • ‘That run should have sharpened her up sufficiently to get those elusive winning brackets.’

  Synonyms

  difficult to catch, difficult to find, difficult to track down

  View synonyms

  1. 1.1Difficult to remember.
     ‘the elusive thought he had had moments before’