demanding

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

Synonyms of demanding

• challenging
• difficult

Examples of demanding in a Sentence

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

It was assumed that flight, being physiologically demanding, required major neurological adaptations, such as a large brain. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 Nov. 2025

The film has drawn over 12 million admissions — a feat that few would have predicted for such an artistically demanding work. —Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 26 Nov. 2025

Crucially, skills rooted in social and emotional intelligence—such as interpersonal conflict resolution, design thinking, and negotiation and coaching—will remain uniquely human, demanding empathy, creativity, and contextual understanding that are challenging for machines to replicate. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2025

Typing or performing any kind of work with your hands can be physically demanding. —Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 25 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of demand entry 2

First Known Use

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