challenging

[ chal-in-jing ]
See synonyms for challenging on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. offering a challenge; testing one's ability, endurance, etc: a challenging course;a challenging game.

  2. stimulating, interesting, and thought-provoking: a challenging suggestion.

  1. provocative; intriguing: a challenging smile.

Origin of challenging

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, as a gerund; 1835–45 for sense of "testing one's ability"; see challenge, -ing2

Other words from challenging

  • chal·leng·ing·ly, adverb
  • non·chal·leng·ing, adjective
  • un·chal·leng·ing, adjective

Words Nearby challenging

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use challenging in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for challenging

challenging

/ (ˈtʃælɪndʒɪŋ) /


adjective
  1. demanding or stimulating: a challenging new job

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012