tricky
Hard to navigate
Tricky describes something requiring skill or caution to handle.
A tricky situation demands careful navigation.
A tricky question is hard to answer without misstep.
Tricky maneuvers test one's dexterity.
The word can also describe a person who uses deception or cunning: He's a tricky character—don't trust him.
Causing false beliefs
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- slyCleverly deceptive
- deceitfulInclined to mislead others
- dishonestInclined to deceive
duplicitous · underhanded · devious · guileful · insidious · wily · artful · beguiling
Showing mental quickness
- shrewdPractically clever, perceptive
- craftyCleverly deceptive
- wilySkilled at deception
- astuteMentally sharp, discerning
ingenious · sharp · smart · calculating · resourceful · scheming · slick · canny
Prone to sudden change
- riskyInvolving possible harm
- hazardousLikely to cause injury
- uncertainNot firmly known
- diceyUncertain and hazardous
dodgy · touchy · delicate · perilous · treacherous · fraught · iffy · chancy
Hard to accomplish
- complexHaving many interconnected parts
- complicatedDifficult to understand
- intricateElaborately detailed, many parts
- knottyComplex and difficult
thorny · perplexing · vexing · puzzling · problematic · demanding · tough · awkward
misleading
Causing false beliefs
dishonest · duplicitous · underhanded · devious · guileful · insidious · wily · artful · beguiling · treacherous
clever
Showing mental quickness
astute · ingenious · sharp · smart · calculating · resourceful · scheming · slick · canny · artful
unstable
Prone to sudden change
dicey · dodgy · touchy · delicate · perilous · treacherous · fraught · iffy · chancy · unpredictable
challenging
Hard to accomplish
- complexHaving many interconnected parts
- complicatedDifficult to understand
- intricateElaborately detailed, many parts
knotty · thorny · perplexing · vexing · puzzling · problematic · demanding · tough · awkward · delicate
ruse
Deliberate act of deception
decoy · subterfuge · bluff · maneuver · scheme · con · hoax · sleight · artifice · trap
riddle
Puzzling question to solve
- brainteaserPuzzle demanding clever thought
- conundrumPerplexing problem or question
- enigmaSomething hard to fathom
mystery · cryptic · stumper · teaser · mindbender · logic · wordplay · gotcha · catch · twist
- cunningcunning, craftiness, crafty, guile, slyness
- difficultyeasy, hard, medium, difficult, moderate
- complexitycomplex, complicated, simple, intricate, easy
- mysteriousmysterious, cryptic, enigmatic, arcane, obscure
- uncertaintyuncertainty, uncertain, unknown, unsure, unclear
- wickedevil, wicked, villainous, malicious, sinister
trickyeasy
Requiring minimal effort
simple · straightforward · effortless · uncomplicated · painless
trickyhonest
Free from deception
straightforward · trustworthy · guileless · sincere · candid
trickystraightforward
Clear and uncomplicated
simple · clear-cut · uncomplicated · plain · clear
- trick or treatHalloween door-to-door phrase
- magic trickPerformed feat seeming impossible
- do the trickAchieve the desired result
- trick questionDeliberately misleading inquiry
- confidence trickFraud exploiting victim's trust
- hat trickThree scores, one game