challenging

adjective

chal·​leng·​ing ˈcha-lən-jiŋ How to pronounce challenging (audio)
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.
Ford had a challenging first half of 2025 with 88 vehicle recalls with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to NHTSA data, which now surpasses the record set by General Motors of 77 recalls for all of 2014, the Detroit Free Press previously reported. Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025 The big story Immigration anxieties and a challenging job market have sparked an online backlash over China's latest attempt at attracting global talent — a new visa program announced in August. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025 His expertise could greatly benefit Ott, ahead of what is destined to be a challenging year in Phoenix. Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025 As model capability has grown, so has the complexity of the tasks that they're being tested on and the human skill needed to create sufficiently challenging tasks. Nikita Ostrovsky, Time, 1 Oct. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Challenging.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/challenging. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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