Elusive vs. Illusory

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Difference Between Elusive and Illusory
Elusiveadjective
Evading capture, comprehension or remembrance.
The elusive criminal was arrestedIllusoryadjective
Resulting from an illusion; deceptive, imaginary, unreal
Enron's profits were all illusory.Elusiveadjective
Difficult to make precise.
A precise definition of diarrhea is elusive (Robbin's pathology, 8th ed)Illusoryadjective
based on or having the nature of an illusion;
illusive hopes of of finding a better jobSecret activities offer presidents the alluring but often illusory promise that they can achieve foreign policy goals without the bothersome debate and open decision that are staples of democracyElusiveadjective
Rarely seen.
Elusiveadjective
difficult to describe;
a haunting elusive odorADVERTISEMENT
Elusiveadjective
skillful at eluding capture;
a cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterroristElusiveadjective
be difficult to detect or grasp by the mind;
his whole attitude had undergone a subtle changea subtle differencethat elusive thing the soul