totally tricky

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "totally tricky" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is very difficult or complicated to understand or solve. Example: "The math problem was totally tricky, and I had to spend hours figuring it out."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"It's a very tricky race," Motion said, before this Belmont turned totally tricky on his horse, his jockey.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Timing is tricky and totally f*cked at times.

Huffington Post

"You have to snap together all the pieces, and the floor wasn't totally level, and the edges were tricky".

The New York Times

What I saw were young actors, under the direction of Michael Cordner, taking a tricky play and making it totally accessible through their vocal clarity.

The Guardian

But Lumb is there on boundary, and rises to his right to take a tricky but regulation catch, only to totally mistime his leap and parry the ball for six.

The Guardian - Sport

Wearing see-through anything can be tricky business, but Chrissy Teigen has totally mastered the sheer look.

Huffington Post

I'm totally plugged in to this problem; it is a tricky one.

The Guardian

BOB SALLAMACK New Providence, N.J., Oct. 19, 2008 • I totally agree with your assessment that bias is a tricky thing.

The New York Times

That was the tricky part because Chuck's voice is totally different than mine.

Vice

"What the politicians often want to do - for totally understandable reasons, I used to feel this myself - is religion is such a tricky subject for us that we want to stay away from it," he said.

Independent

One of the youngest relatives, in her 20s, emphasised our incomplete knowledge of genetic influences on behaviour as a reason for focussing on nurture 'at present'; It is very tricky as we cannot see genes and I am not sure that I totally trust the idea of blaming genes for violent behaviour- maybe the person has a gene for passive behaviour as well.

Life Sciences, Society and Policy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "totally tricky" to describe situations that are not only difficult but also require a clever or subtle approach to solve. It's more informal than "completely challenging" but conveys a similar level of complexity.

Common error

Avoid using "totally tricky" in formal writing or professional settings. Opt for more sophisticated alternatives like "particularly complex" or "exceptionally challenging" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "totally tricky" primarily functions as a compound adjective, modifying a noun to describe something that is both complex and challenging. Ludwig examples show it used to describe races, plays and problems.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "totally tricky" is a grammatically correct, though relatively infrequent, way to describe something that is both complex and challenging. According to Ludwig AI, it is usable in written English. While primarily found in news and media contexts, its informal tone makes it best suited for casual conversation or less formal writing. For professional or academic settings, consider stronger, less colloquial alternatives. Although usage is sparse, its meaning is clear: a problem not just hard, but requiring finesse.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completely difficult

Replaces "tricky" with a more direct synonym for difficulty.

utterly complex

Substitutes "tricky" with "complex" to emphasize the intricate nature of the subject.

thoroughly perplexing

Replaces both words with synonyms that highlight confusion and difficulty.

entirely challenging

Emphasizes the demanding nature of the situation, replacing "tricky".

absolutely intricate

Focuses on the detailed and complicated aspects, using "intricate" for "tricky".

wholly complicated

Similar to utterly complex, but uses "complicated".

fully problematic

Highlights the issues and difficulties associated with something.

altogether delicate

Suggests a situation that requires careful handling due to its complexity.

downright baffling

Indicates something is confusing and hard to understand.

genuinely thorny

Uses a metaphor to describe a situation filled with difficulties.

FAQs

How can I use "totally tricky" in a sentence?

You can use "totally tricky" to describe a situation or problem that is both difficult and requires a clever approach. For example: "The puzzle was "totally tricky", and it took me hours to solve it."

What are some alternatives to "totally tricky"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "completely difficult", "utterly complex", or "thoroughly perplexing".

Is "totally tricky" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "totally tricky" is more informal. For formal writing, consider using phrases like "particularly complex" or "exceptionally challenging".

What's the difference between "totally tricky" and "somewhat difficult"?

"Totally tricky" implies a higher degree of difficulty and often suggests that a clever or subtle approach is needed, whereas "somewhat difficult" indicates a moderate level of challenge.