1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
an exceptionally challenging brainteaser
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in demanding
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
a challenging test designed to whittle down the number of contestants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in questioning
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
don't hesitate to challenge any statement that generalizes about people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in requiring
to have as a requirement
having to put up with an overbearing boss challenges forbearance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of challenging
Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 21 Jan. 2026
The years-long process of making traditional tentpole games has become increasingly challenging and capital-intensive, with more nimble and inexpensive titles getting corporate emphasis.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 21 Jan. 2026
Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The governor of Minnesota, the mayor of Minneapolis, the former head of the FBI, the attorney general of New York, and a member of the Federal Reserve Board all face indictment or investigation for opposing or challenging the president.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for challenging
Adjective
What To Do About Toxic Parenting While TikTok reels may celebrate parent canceling, navigating fraught relationships can be hurtful and challenging.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 21 Jan. 2026
The years-long process of making traditional tentpole games has become increasingly challenging and capital-intensive, with more nimble and inexpensive titles getting corporate emphasis.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
Huckaby said balancing being a mom while also snowboarding at an elite level and the training that entails can be challenging and takes a lot of self-compassion.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The governor of Minnesota, the mayor of Minneapolis, the former head of the FBI, the attorney general of New York, and a member of the Federal Reserve Board all face indictment or investigation for opposing or challenging the president.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for challenging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for challenging
Adjective
-
Business leaders, of course, have their own interests and shareholders to serve, but Democrats can still protect the public interest while giving CEOs a seat at the table to reach pragmatic answers to difficult questions like these.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Activist groups say hundreds of people have been killed, though the true toll remains difficult to verify due to the internet blackout and tight state controls on information.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Hospitals across Colorado are urging people to roll up their sleeves and donate blood as supplies drop during one of the most demanding times of the year.—
Tori Mason,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
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Frank Bisignano, who’s head of the Social Security Administration, is the first-ever IRS CEO, and the acting commissioner is Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent—someone who has another very demanding job.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Several speakers said their concern was less about state law itself and more about communication, questioning whether parents would be informed when their child seeks services.—
Nina Burns,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
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With the disappearing of Robeson also came the disappearance of questioning the effect of free-market capitalism on Black communities, a once vibrant question replaced by the celebration of individual wealth.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Wednesday nominee Jenna Ortega turned heads in a Dilara Findikoglu dress with daring cutouts paired with Simone Jewels earrings and rings.—
Jackie Fields,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Tonight, the Die My Love star attended the 2026 Golden Globes in something daring and sexy—a sheer dress from Sarah Burton’s Givenchy.—
Irene Kim,
Vogue,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While the temporary jail facility will not be subject to the city ordinance requiring the standard, the permanent facility that is also planned will be.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
7 Jan. 2026
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Governing is a long and laborious process, requiring study, deliberation and the weighing of competing forces.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The strategy would give OpenAI a direct hardware presence to complement its software and nearly a billion weekly users of ChatGPT, but faces tough competition from entrenched products without deep operating-system integration.—
Charlie Fink,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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The marketing and positioning of actresses in their roles is tougher than it’s been in recent years because of the insult machinery of man-boy social media and its echoes across society more widely.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This meticulous effort resulted in the client successfully contesting the fines.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
19 Jan. 2026
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With teams going more direct, opportunities for isolating defenders and contesting individual duels in the attacking third have increased.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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With contractors and staff needing housing, Hawkins has seen interest in apartments grow with the fabs.—
Darin Oswald,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Astrorinse has a 22-liter capacity for the station’s debris handling and can support up to two cleaning cycles per week for as long as two months without needing to empty or replace the disposable dust bag.—
IE Creative Studio,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Challenging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/challenging. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
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