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.
The movies at Sundance Film Festival's swan song in Park City, Utah, were very on theme for the event, celebrating independent cinema with familiar faces in challenging fare, quirky examinations of youth and fascinating documentaries. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 Feb. 2026 Real-world conditions, such as humidity fluctuations and unstable signals, make this even more challenging. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 1 Feb. 2026 Reopening borders is among the challenging issues on the agenda for the phase now underway, which also includes demilitarizing the strip after nearly two decades of Hamas rule and installing a new government to oversee reconstruction. CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026 Other challenging issues include demilitarizing the strip after nearly two decades of Hamas rule and installing a new government to oversee reconstruction. Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Challenging.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/challenging. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

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