prove elusive

Frequency: 7.512.3 per million words

Used when something is shown to be difficult to find or achieve over time.

elusiveVERB + elusive

Categories:

prove

Examples (10)

  • Further movie roles have proved somewhat elusive for the young actor.
  • A cure for the disease has proved strangely elusive, despite years of research.
  • Success in the music industry often proves elusive for many talented artists.
  • The rare butterfly proved elusive, and the entomologists returned empty-handed.
  • A lasting peace agreement between the two nations has proven elusive for decades.
  • Finding a quiet moment to myself has been proving elusive this week with all the visitors.
  • Profitability in the first year proved elusive for the new startup.
  • Justice for the victims proved elusive as the key witness disappeared.
  • A complete understanding of the quantum world still proves elusive to even the most brilliant physicists.
  • If a solution continues to prove elusive, we may need to rethink our entire approach.