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The Ice Bucket Challenge raised money for research into which disease?

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challenge

American  

[chal-inj] / ˈtʃæl ɪndʒ /

noun

• challenges
  plural

1. a call or summons to engage in any contest, as of skill, strength, etc.

2. something that by its nature or character serves as a call to battle, contest, special effort, etc..

   Space exploration offers a challenge to humankind.

3. a call to fight, as a battle, a duel, etc.

4. a demand to explain, justify, etc..

   a challenge to the treasurer to itemize expenditures.

5. difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to one engaged in it.

6. Military. the demand of a sentry for identification or a countersign.

7. Law. a formal objection to the qualifications of a particular juror, to that juror serving, or to the legality of an entire jury.

8. the assertion that a vote is invalid or that a voter is not legally qualified.

9. Biology. the process of inducing or assessing physiological or immunological activity by exposing an organism to a specific substance.

10. Hunting. the crying of a hound on finding a scent.

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verb (used with object)

• challenges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• challenged,
  past participle,  past
• challenging
  present participle

1. to summon to a contest of skill, strength, etc.

   Synonyms:

   invite, bid, dare

2. to take exception to; call in question.

   to challenge the wisdom of a procedure.

   Synonyms:

   doubt, impute, question

3. to demand as something due or rightful.

4. Military. to halt and demand identification or countersign from.

5. Law. to take formal exception to (a juror or jury).

6. to have a claim to; invite; arouse; stimulate.

   a matter which challenges attention.

7. to assert that (a vote) is invalid.

8. to assert that (a voter) is not qualified to vote.

9. to expose an organism to a specific substance in order to assess its physiological or immunological activity.

10. Archaic. to lay claim to.

verb (used without object)

• challenges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• challenged,
  past participle,  past
• challenging
  present participle

1. to make or issue a challenge.

2. Hunting. (of hounds) to cry or give tongue on picking up the scent.

adjective

1. donated or given by a private, corporate, or government benefactor on condition that the recipient raise an additional specified amount from the public.

   a challenge grant.

challenge British  

/ ˈtʃælɪndʒ /

verb

1. to invite or summon (someone to do something, esp to take part in a contest)

2. (also intr) to call (something) into question; dispute

3. to make demands on; stimulate

   the job challenges his ingenuity

4. to order (a person) to halt and be identified or to give a password

5. law to make formal objection to (a juror or jury)

6. to lay claim to (attention, etc)

7. (intr) hunting (of a hound) to cry out on first encountering the scent of a quarry

8. to inject (an experimental animal immunized with a test substance) with disease microorganisms to test for immunity to the disease

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noun

1. a call to engage in a fight, argument, or contest

2. a questioning of a statement or fact; a demand for justification or explanation

3. a demanding or stimulating situation, career, object, etc

4. a demand by a sentry, watchman, etc, for identification or a password

5. an assertion that a person is not entitled to vote or that a vote is invalid

6. law a formal objection to a person selected to serve on a jury ( challenge to the polls ) or to the whole body of jurors ( challenge to the array )

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• challenger
  noun
• prechallenge
  verb (used with object)
• rechallenge
  verb (used with object)
• challengeable
  adjective
• unchallengeable
  adjective
• unchallengeably
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• challenges
  plural

Participles

• challenging
  present
• challenged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• challenge
  simple
• challenges
  simple
• have challenged
  perfect
• has challenged
  perfect
• am challenging
  progressive
• are challenging
  progressive
• is challenging
  progressive
• have been challenging
  perfect progressive
• has been challenging
  perfect progressive

Past

• challenged
  simple
• had challenged
  perfect
• was challenging
  progressive
• were challenging
  progressive
• had been challenging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will challenge
  simple
• will have challenged
  perfect
• will be challenging
  progressive
• will have been challenging
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of challenge

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English chalenge, from Old French, variant of chalonge, from Latin calumnia “false statement”; see calumny

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Explanation

A challenge is something that puts you to the test — like running your first marathon or reading War and Peace. Challenge, as a verb, is derived from a Latin word meaning "to accuse falsely," and it is still used much as it was in the 13th century, in the sense of questioning whether something is true or right. Students sometimes challenge a weeknight curfew, and lawyers might challenge the evidence submitted by the other side in a lawsuit. Challenge is also used as a noun for a competition in which people challenge one another to prove that they’re the best at something.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

challenge challenges challenged challenging

“I find that to also be, in a way, a much easier challenge, given the fact that we have really good AI capabilities today versus in the past,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

“Access alone isn’t enough. Engagement is the challenge for all employers,” said Kerry Sette, head of customer insights and research at Voya.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

And the superteam springing up to challenge the Knicks’ supremacy exists only because the greatest player of his generation is willing to play on the cheap.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

"It does challenge stereotypes, because it finally breaks a ceiling that was never broken," she says.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

Turkey Vulture explained that today’s challenge was a race to build a shelter on the top of Mount Eclipse.

From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth

What surprised me most was how resourceful and resilient people have been in meeting economic challenges, even while cutting back on spending for extras.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

Director of BBC Scotland, Hayley Valentine, said: "Against the backdrop of significant financial challenges, we must focus our resources where they will have the greatest impact for audiences."

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

San Clemente’s challenges demonstrate what more of California will probably face as the twin dangers of fire and coastal erosion converge this winter.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

This finding also challenges the widespread impression that white dwarfs are usually blue.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026

“When I look at Auggie and all the challenges he has to face on a daily basis,” he said, patting his heart.

From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio

Prosecutors with the Ventura County district attorney’s office challenged the move, arguing Luster continued to misrepresent the nature of his crimes and remained a threat to public safety.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

Beyond their potential clinical importance, the findings also provide new insight into the fundamental process of skin renewal, helping address a question that has challenged scientists for decades.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026

It’s being challenged in Washington court and has a hearing scheduled for February.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Receiving his doctorate, the 44th US president praised Northern Ireland's progress and challenged the next generation to continue building a peaceful and inclusive future.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Anticipating the barn was about to be burned down, Booth challenged all of his pursuers to honorable combat on open ground.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson

"Although the whole process was somewhat challenging... everyone with common sense says the Turkish capital markets will be much healthier," he said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026

The 41-year-old said the script was "really challenging" and that was why he went for the role.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

A preservation group’s lawsuit challenging President Trump’s plans to overhaul the East Potomac Golf Links recently boiled over when the administration cut down more than 400 trees on short notice.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

The clinic took up my claim, bringing a class-action lawsuit challenging the Army’s handling of discharge upgrade applications.

From Slate ● Oct. 19, 2026

They committed themselves to the spirit and practice of nonviolent resistance as a means of challenging segregation in all its forms.

From "Because They Marched" by Russell Freedman

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Related Words

• ask for
• assert
• call for
• claim
• confront
• defy
• demand
• denounce
• impose
• require
• test
• try

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