challenged
Americanadjective
-
Often Offensive. a euphemism for disabled (usually preceded by an adverb).
-
deficient or lacking (usually preceded by an adverb or noun and used facetiously).
ethically challenged; math-challenged.
adjective
Sensitive Note
See disabled.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of challenged
An Americanism dating back to 1980–85; challenge ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
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.
Because they are cheap and often difficult to shoot down, the aircraft have challenged American and allied air defenses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Along with Minneapolis and St. Paul, it challenged Operation Metro Surge by arguing that the federal government had disrupted schools, businesses, emergency services, municipal resources, streets, and the trust on which local governance depends.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
The placement also challenged his understanding of what the job would be like, and that being a mechanic "isn't just about fixing cars".
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
The results directly challenged the idea that SuperAgers are protected simply because they carry fewer Alzheimer's related risk variants.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
Clary, like defendants in other crack cases, challenged the constitutionality of the hundred-to-one ratio.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
