challenging 1 of 2

adjective

ˈcha-lən-jiŋ How to pronounce challenging (audio)
Definition of challengingnext
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

challenging

2 of 2

verb

present participle of challenge
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
as in daring
to invite (someone) to take part in a contest or to perform a feat I challenge you to swim to the other side of the pond

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

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.
Recent Examples of challenging
Adjective
At a prelaunch dinner in Paris, Arnault acknowledged the event comes at a challenging time for luxury goods. — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026 Recruitment materials provided by the district promoted confidence-building and leadership activities, including confronting bias and challenging stereotypes. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
And while Haiti has committed to a handover protocol for child gang members, getting the public to accept reintegration of anyone with gang associations is likely to be challenging. — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 Demonstrators are challenging a voter list revision that has removed more than 130 million names. — Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for challenging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for challenging
  1. difficult
  2. demanding
  3. questioning
  4. daring
  5. requiring
  6. tough
  7. contesting
  8. needing
Adjective
  • The problem, Snegovaya said, is that achieving military autonomy for Europe and Ukraine is extremely difficult in the short term, and Europe has been slow to develop the necessary capabilities.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Past changes have pushed the glacier into a retreat that may be difficult to reverse, while new modeling suggests scientists may have underestimated how warm seawater reaches beneath it.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • The companies position shorter charging stops as a way to support longer operating windows and more demanding task sequences.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • But these are just basic text prompts and mildly demanding tasks.
    — Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of demanding
Verb
  • The home’s dissolving interior boundary suits an artist who has spent her career questioning where humans fit within the vastness of space and time.
    — Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The hiding place was disclosed by a third suspect during questioning.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of questioning
Verb
  • Skarsgard, who, like Colman, has made some daring career moves in recent years, became the only man to do this knight-in-shining-wicker justice.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • That made The Social Network daring in its nuanced depiction of the enterprise, and the film consequently raised profound questions for audiences to grapple with.
    — Andrew McGowan, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of daring
Verb
  • Using dedicated unmanned refueling aircraft could also free more Super Hornets for combat missions instead of requiring them to carry additional fuel for other aircraft.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Fault currents, which can fry components and cause dangerous arc flashes, are one challenge, requiring new protection measures and solid-state circuit breakers.
    — Alex Pasternack, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of requiring
Adjective
  • Celebrity hairstylist Brian Magallones considers this the perfect balance between a not-too-fussy and not-too-structured chignon, a style that sounds tough to style without a professional team but is actually quite easy to master at-home.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Coming off that dominant performance against the Yankees, Rasmussen went six-plus tough innings.
    — Rob Maaddi, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of tough
Verb
  • Boyles responded that the groups were contesting the decisions based on the law, and not asking the panel to substitute its own views about wolves for those of the federal government.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Seid paid all fines and tickets without contesting them, Axios reported.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of contesting
Verb
  • With the offense reeling and needing confidence after halftime, Craig opened the third quarter with a beautiful 67-yard completion to Jordan Dwyer on the second offensive snap of the half.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Its nuclear reactor gives it enormous endurance without needing to surface or snorkel to operate diesel engines.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of needing

Browse Nearby Words

challenges
challenging
chamber
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Challenging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/challenging. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of jilt

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All