challenging

adjective

chal·​leng·​ing ˈcha-lən-jiŋ 

1

: arousing competitive interest, thought, or action

a challenging course of study

a challenging job

2

: invitingly provocative : fascinating

a challenging personality

challenging questions

challengingly

ˈcha-lən-jiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• arduous
• Augean
• backbreaking
• demanding
• difficult
• effortful
• exacting
• formidable
• grueling
• gruelling
• hard
• heavy
• hellacious
• herculean
• killer
• laborious
• moiling
• murderous
• pick-and-shovel
• rigorous
• rough
• rugged
• severe
• stiff
• strenuous
• sweaty
• tall
• testing
• toilsome
• tough
• uphill

Examples of challenging in a Sentence

I find the job challenging and fun.

Teaching is challenging but rewarding work.

It's a challenging book that requires careful reading.

The slope was challenging for even the most experienced climbers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Nio’s loss widens While Chinese EV makers are finding some success in overseas markets, Nio still makes most of its money from China, increasingly a challenging market thanks to an economic slowdown and intense competition. —Rachel Ventresca, Fortune Asia, 7 June 2024

When faced with a challenging decision about his son's future, Max flees with Ezra, taking him on a transformative cross-country road trip that tests the bonds of their relationship. —Ew Staff, EW.com, 7 June 2024

The upshot for Amazon customer service employees is that accomplishing day-to-day tasks is more challenging, and often accompanied by abuse. —Seamus Webster, Fortune, 6 June 2024

Some legacy media executives likely have daydreams about exiting the news business as the path to profitability becomes more challenging. —Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

see challenge entry 1

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1