Tricky: meaning, definitions and examples

Situations or tasks that require careful handling or are subtly difficult to navigate. Often carries a nuance of deception or cunning.

• Negotiating this contract is tricky because there are many hidden clauses.
• Getting the stuck bolt loose is tricky; you'll need just the right tool.

Indicates something with many interconnected parts or factors, often requiring thoughtful analysis or understanding.

• The human brain is incredibly complex, with trillions of neural connections.
• Solving this complex equation will take some time.

Describes a situation or problem that has many intertwined or confusing elements, making it difficult to understand or solve.

• Their relationship became complicated after the misunderstanding.
• The instructions for assembling the furniture were too complicated to follow.

General term for something that requires a lot of effort, skill, or determination to achieve or deal with.

• Learning a new language is difficult but very rewarding.
• It's difficult to balance work and family life.

Describes tasks or situations that test one's abilities or skills, often in a positive way or as an opportunity for growth.

• Running a marathon is challenging but incredibly rewarding.
• This new job is challenging, but I am learning a lot.

Refers to problems or issues that are tangled, intricate, and hard to unravel; often carries a connotation of being particularly perplexing or troublesome.

• The legal case was full of knotty issues that took years to resolve.
• Untangling these financial errors is a knotty task.