elusive elusive

adj

() skillful at eluding capture  ( elusive )
skillful at eluding capture
 a cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist
a cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist

() difficult to describe  ( elusive )
difficult to describe
 a haunting elusive odor
a haunting elusive odor

making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe  ( elusive, problematic, problematical, tough, baffling, knotty )
making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe
 a baffling problem
a baffling problem
 I faced the knotty problem of what to have for breakfast
I faced the knotty problem of what to have for breakfast
 a problematic situation at home
a problematic situation at home

difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze  ( elusive, subtle )
difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
 his whole attitude had undergone a subtle change
his whole attitude had undergone a subtle change
 a subtle difference
a subtle difference
 that elusive thing the soul
that elusive thing the soul