demanding

1 of 2

adjective

de·​mand·​ing di-ˈman-diŋ 

-ˈmän-, 

dē-

: requiring much time, effort, or attention : exacting

a demanding job

demanding customers

demandingly

di-ˈman-diŋ-lē 

-ˈmän-, 

dē-

adverb

demandingness noun

demanding

2 of 2

present participle of demand entry 2

Synonyms of demanding

Adjective

• challenging
• difficult

Examples of demanding in a Sentence

Adjective

She had a demanding schedule with little free time.

Factory work can be physically demanding.

I have heard it is one of the most demanding courses at the university.

Their boss was really demanding, often expecting them to work long into the night.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The Sun in your 10th House opposes Saturn in your 4th, making work, reputation, or long-term responsibilities feel especially demanding while home needs your attention too. — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026

The conductors who oversee the recording of the movie scores are portrayed as hyper-demanding corporate perfectionists. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026

Quantum computers could eventually solve very demanding computational problems much faster than regular computers. — Sophya Garashchuk, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026

Fusion reaction milestone Most fusion projects, including the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in France, focus on D-T fusion because it can be achieved under less demanding conditions than alternative fuel cycles. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from present participle of demand entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

1926, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for demanding

• commanding
• disbanding
• expanding
• freestanding
• misbranding
• outstanding
• remanding
• upstanding
• withstanding
• banding
• branding
• handing

Kids Definition

demanding

adjective

de·​mand·​ing

di-ˈman-diŋ

: making many or difficult demands : exacting

a demanding job

demandingly adverb