elusiveness
Quality of escaping
Elusiveness is the quality of being hard to catch, pin down, or clearly perceive.
A fugitive's elusiveness frustrates pursuers.
The elusiveness of a concept makes it difficult to grasp or explain: the elusiveness of happiness, the elusiveness of meaning in his poetry.
Something elusive slips away just when you think you have it.
Openness to multiple interpretations
- vaguenessAbsence of precision
- indeterminacyLack of fixed outcome
- indefinitenessLack of clear boundaries
- unclearNot easily understood
indistinct · murky · clouded · fuzzy · blurred · imprecise · undefinable · unspecified
Passing very quickly
- ephemeralLasting very briefly
- transientTemporary, soon departing
- momentaryLasting very briefly
- passingMoving by or temporary
evanescent · vanishing · short-lived · fugitive · disappearing · impermanent · fading · slipping away
Lack of grip
- dodgingAvoiding by moving aside
- sidesteppingMoving aside to avoid
- avoidanceDeliberate keeping away
- maneuveringSkillful directional control
circumvention · ducking · evasion · misdirection · diversion · stealth · caginess · slyness
Delicate beyond earthly measure
- nebulousUnclear and formless
- gossamerFilmy, delicate material
- insubstantialLacking physical or material substance
- vaporousLike a gas, diffuse
phantasmal · spectral · ghostly · incorporeal · formless · amorphous · wispy · shadowy
Puzzling and obscure
- inscrutableImpossible to understand
- crypticObscure in meaning
- mystiqueAura of fascination
- sphinx-likeImpenetrably mysterious in expression
unfathomable · impenetrable · arcane · veiled · obscure · unknowable · puzzling · secretive
ambiguity
Openness to multiple interpretations
- vaguenessAbsence of precision
- indeterminacyLack of fixed outcome
- indefinitenessLack of clear boundaries
unclear · indistinct · murky · clouded · fuzzy · blurred · imprecise · undefinable · unspecified · equivocal
fleeting
Passing very quickly
passing · evanescent · vanishing · short-lived · fugitive · disappearing · impermanent · fading · slipping away · brief
slipperiness
Lack of grip
- dodgingAvoiding by moving aside
- sidesteppingMoving aside to avoid
- avoidanceDeliberate keeping away
maneuvering · circumvention · ducking · evasion · misdirection · diversion · stealth · caginess · slyness · guile
ethereal
Delicate beyond earthly measure
- nebulousUnclear and formless
- gossamerFilmy, delicate material
- insubstantialLacking physical or material substance
vaporous · phantasmal · spectral · ghostly · incorporeal · formless · amorphous · wispy · shadowy · dreamlike
enigmatic
Puzzling and obscure
- inscrutableImpossible to understand
- crypticObscure in meaning
- mystiqueAura of fascination
sphinx-like · unfathomable · impenetrable · arcane · veiled · obscure · unknowable · puzzling · secretive · hidden
- evasionevasion, avoiding, avoids, evade, dodging
- mysteriousnessenigma, mystique, inscrutability, obscurity, crypticness
- subtletysubtlety, understatement, understated, delicacy, hint
- Quarterbackingpassing, throwing, accuracy, arm strength, quick release
- Mysticalethereal, otherworldly, supernatural, numinous, transcendent
- unclearnessvagueness, ambiguity, obscurity, haziness, fuzziness
elusivenessaccessibility
Ease of approach
availability · attainability · approachability · reachability · openness
elusivenessobviousness
State of being evident
clarity · transparency · intelligibility · explicitness · lucidity
elusivenesstangibility
Quality of being touchable
conspicuousness · prominence · palpability · visibility · presence
illusion, elusive, elude, prelude, delusion, ludicrous, interlude, allude, delusions