trickiest

"Trickiest" is the superlative form of the adjective "tricky." It means the most tricky — so when something is trickiest, it is the hardest, most difficult, or most deceptive thing in a group. It has two closely related senses worth knowing.

1adjectivemost difficult or complicated

When a task or situation is the trickiest, it requires the most care, skill, or thought to handle. Think of it as the one problem in a group that is hardest to solve — it might have hidden steps, confusing parts, or require a lot of attention.

everyday language · Modern, widely used

The last question on the exam was the trickiest — most students left it blank.

Parallel parking is the trickiest part of the driving test for many beginners.

Of all the recipes in the book, this one is the trickiest to get right.

2adjectivefigurativemost likely to deceive or mislead

Something trickiest in this sense is the most likely to fool you or lead you in the wrong direction. It looks simple or straightforward, but it is not. You have to be very careful because it can easily catch you off guard.

everyday language · Modern, widely used · figurative

The trickiest part of the contract was a small clause hidden near the end.

That magician's trickiest illusion is the one where the coin disappears in plain sight.

The trickiest opponent in the tournament was the one who seemed the weakest at first.