challenging

adjective

chal·​leng·​ing ˈcha-lən-jiŋ 

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

ˈcha-lən-jiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of challenging

• difficult
• tough
• rigorous
• demanding
• hard

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

That makes compliance with the Republican River Compact more challenging. —Allen Best, Denver Post, 14 June 2026

But working with it can be challenging, said Luis Delgado-Aparicio, the head of advanced projects at Princeton’s Plasma Physics Laboratory, in a press release. —Ari Sen, Scientific American, 13 June 2026

Simpson explained that maintaining her glossy image was emotionally challenging. —Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 13 June 2026

David Hockney’s first solo show, which opened in London in 1963, was Pictures With People In, a defiantly figurative title for the poster boy of a new and challenging school of painting, Pop Art. —Robin Muir, Vogue, 12 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

see challenge entry 1

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1