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

• arduous
• Augean
• backbreaking
• demanding
• difficult
• effortful
• exacting
• formidable
• grueling
• gruelling
• hard
• heavy
• hellacious
• herculean
• killer
• laborious
• moiling
• murderous
• pick-and-shovel
• rigorous
• rough
• rugged
• severe
• stiff
• strenuous
• sweaty
• tall
• testing
• toilsome
• tough
• uphill

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

Oakmont is a notoriously challenging course, a venue that has already seen big-name players like defending champion Bryson DeChambeau fail to make it through to the last two rounds. —Patrick Snell, CNN Money, 14 June 2025

Preparing to shoot the live-action footage was also challenging. —Kambole Campbell, Variety, 14 June 2025

Dumping syndrome can be more challenging to diagnose in children. —Janelle McSwiggin, Health, 14 June 2025

But, because consumers and businesses usually need to borrow money to install them, rising interest rates made the math more challenging. —Justin Worland, Time, 13 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

see challenge entry 1

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1