Synonyms of demanding

demanding 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈman-diŋ 

1

as in challenging

requiring much time, effort, or careful attention

the demanding assignment kept them working all night long

Synonyms & Similar Words

• challenging
• difficult
• tough
• burdensome
• exacting
• onerous
• arduous
• hard
• laborious
• killing
• taxing
• grueling
• toilsome
• strenuous
• formidable
• persnickety
• testing
• rigorous
• oppressive
• trying
• stringent
• strict
• stiff
• rugged
• severe
• stern
• rough
• herculean
• rigid

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• undemanding
• light
• easy
• nondemanding
• simple
• unchallenging
• smooth
• effortless
• facile

2

as in exacting

hard to please

will play before a demanding audience of music critics, who are not easily impressed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• exacting
• careful
• nice
• particular
• finicky
• picky
• fussy
• delicate
• choosy
• selective
• fastidious
• persnickety
• pernickety
• finical
• dainty
• meticulous
• finicking
• fussbudgety
• critical
• old-maidish
• discriminating
• discerning
• painstaking
• overdemanding
• scrupulous
• insightful
• knowledgeable
• punctilious
• hypercritical
• faultfinding
• petulant
• captious
• peevish
• touchy
• overcritical
• squeamish
• ultrafastidious
• prissy
• queasy
• hyperfastidious
• carping
• prickly
• prim
• caviling
• niminy-piminy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• undemanding
• flexible
• low-pressure
• carefree
• lackadaisical
• relaxed
• loose
• affable
• lax
• lenient
• breezy
• permissive
• unfussy
• unfastidious
• uncritical
• laid-back
• devil-may-care
• happy-go-lucky
• undiscriminating
• indiscriminating

3

as in difficult

requiring considerable physical or mental effort

the demanding task of reading and grading student compositions

Synonyms & Similar Words

• challenging
• difficult
• tough
• rigorous
• hard
• formidable
• complicated
• heavy
• effortful
• exacting
• rugged
• strenuous
• sweaty
• rough
• severe
• arduous
• exhausting
• testing
• tall
• murderous
• backbreaking
• grueling
• intricate
• laborious
• complex
• painful
• uphill
• killer
• stiff
• herculean
• serious
• toilsome
• problematic
• pick-and-shovel
• annoying
• elusive
• involved
• moiling
• hellacious
• burdensome
• oppressive
• stubborn
• trying
• onerous
• brutal
• strict
• stressful
• Augean
• tricky
• abstract
• troublesome
• tight
• stringent
• bruising
• grim
• thorny
• insoluble
• abstruse
• hairy
• taxing
• labored
• vexatious
• irksome
• knotty
• opaque
• bothersome
• distressing
• ticklish
• recondite
• cruel
• spiny
• inhuman
• grievous

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• easy
• simple
• light
• undemanding
• soft
• effortless
• cheap
• clear
• mindless
• elementary
• facile
• manageable
• achievable
• uncomplicated
• doable
• gentle
• smooth
• comforting
• soothing
• relaxed
• accessible
• painless
• friendly
• user-friendly
• idiotproof

demanding

2 of 2

verb

present participle of demand

1

as in requiring

to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority

the losing party demanded a recount of the votes cast in the election

Synonyms & Similar Words

• requiring
• requesting
• commanding
• claiming
• asking
• wanting
• exacting
• needing
• enjoining
• calling (for)
• pressing (for)
• insisting (on)
• clamoring (for)
• taking
• necessitating
• imposing
• stipulating (for)
• questing
• warranting
• harassing
• pleading (for)
• crying (for)
• requisitioning
• hounding
• badgering
• dunning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• yielding
• giving up
• surrendering
• relinquishing

2

as in needing

to have as a requirement

a task that demands one's unremitting attention

Synonyms & Similar Words

• requiring
• needing
• taking
• wanting
• challenging
• involving
• necessitating
• claiming
• warranting
• calling for
• asking
• begging
• bearing
• entailing
• insisting
• lacking
• crying (for)
• commanding
• exacting
• enjoining
• pressing
• hurting (for)
• clamoring (for)
• stipulating
• questing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• having
• holding
• possessing
• owning

3

as in asking

to set or receive as a price

superstars of the big screen who demand millions for appearing in a movie

Synonyms & Similar Words

• asking
• charging
• commanding
• bringing
• fetching
• selling (for)
• pricing
• overcharging
• discounting
• assessing
• valuing
• undercharging
• billing
• marking up
• marking down
• invoicing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of demanding

Adjective

Testing a 30-year service life The latest campaign focused on whether the smaller generator could withstand the demanding conditions expected during long-term offshore operation. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2026

What’s it like filming all those very physically demanding scenes for the show? — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026

Verb

Under the Air Force agreement, Xos will modify the system for military applications and demanding field environments. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2026

The president said that Russia’s principal objective remained the Konstantynivka-Sloviansk-Kramatorsk axis and that Moscow was still demanding Ukraine withdraw from the eastern Donbas region as a condition for a settlement. — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026