challenging

adjective

chal·​leng·​ing ˈcha-lən-jiŋ How to pronounce challenging (audio)
Synonyms of challengingnext
1
: arousing competitive interest, thought, or action
a challenging course of study
a challenging job
2
: invitingly provocative : fascinating
a challenging personality
challenging questions
challengingly adverb

Examples of challenging in a Sentence

I find the job challenging and fun. Teaching is challenging but rewarding work. It's a challenging book that requires careful reading. The slope was challenging for even the most experienced climbers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the past, many housing developers have shied away from building affordable housing because assembling the subsidies needed to make construction profitable is challenging. Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026 The right-hander's decision follows a challenging recovery from offseason elbow surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2025 season. Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 The case concerned a Virginia man challenging law enforcement's use of a geofence warrant to get location data on him from Google, which led to evidence that was used to convict him of a bank robbery. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 29 June 2026 The media sector has seen a wave of consolidation recently, as legacy players strive for scale, with few companies going public amid the challenging environment. Elsa Ohlen,lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for challenging

Word History

Etymology

see challenge entry 1

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of challenging was in 1841

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Cite this Entry

“Challenging.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/challenging. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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