demanding

adjective

de·​mand·​ing di-ˈman-diŋ 

-ˈmän-, 

dē-

: requiring much time, effort, or attention : exacting

a demanding job

demanding customers

demandingly

di-ˈman-diŋ-lē 

-ˈmän-, 

dē-

adverb

demandingness noun

Synonyms of demanding

• challenging
• difficult

Examples of demanding in a Sentence

She had a demanding schedule with little free time.

Factory work can be physically demanding.

I have heard it is one of the most demanding courses at the university.

Their boss was really demanding, often expecting them to work long into the night.

Recent Examples on the Web

For Tether, the challenge will be maintaining its global liquidity advantage while adapting to more demanding regulatory expectations in major markets. — Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson star as two young men who sign up for a physically demanding and deathly competition led by Mark Hamill’s Major. — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 10 July 2026

Until now, the Mexican government had supported the victims’ families, sent diplomatic notes to Washington demanding investigations, and raised the issue with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. — María Verza, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

Lagree was deliberately built to be more physically demanding than traditional Pilates, with progressive overload baked into the method. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 9 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of demand entry 2

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for demanding

• commanding
• disbanding
• expanding
• freestanding
• misbranding
• outstanding
• remanding
• upstanding
• withstanding
• banding
• branding
• handing

Kids Definition

demanding

adjective

de·​mand·​ing

di-ˈman-diŋ

: making many or difficult demands : exacting

a demanding job

demandingly adverb