demanding
Americanadjective
-
requiring or claiming more than is generally felt by others to be due.
a demanding teacher.
-
calling for intensive effort or attention; taxing.
a demanding job.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of demanding
Explanation
Something that's demanding calls for more work or skill than the typical task. Babysitting might seem like an easy job, but depending on the kids it can actually be incredibly demanding. A demanding job might require a lot of physical work, like farming, or a lot of patience and diplomacy, like being a teacher or a marriage counselor. When a person is described as demanding, it usually means that he or she has very high standards or is especially hard to satisfy. The word comes from the Old French demander, "to request or demand," by way of the Latin demandare, "entrust."
Vocabulary lists containing demanding
Prince (1958-2016) Tribute List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“He was very demanding of us,” recalled former Toreros linebacker Matt Gabbard, “but it wasn’t something he didn’t demand of himself.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
What allows people to keep working toward a goal when the challenge becomes more demanding?
From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026
As the AI market evolves, companies are demanding more firepower to run AI models and other tools more quickly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
The researchers then placed the material in salt water, an especially demanding environment for battery components.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026
"I don't know how, but they followed me here. I have half of Ishtar's kitties living downstairs. Never met such demanding beasts."
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
