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.
The order is being challenged and has been blocked by several courts.
From Salon • May 26, 2026
Members have challenged the order in court, with a hearing due on Tuesday.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
"We challenged this conventional view by comparing cells formed through different mechanisms and found that these differences can influence cell behavior over the long term."
From Science Daily • May 25, 2026
Many of them have been allegedly pushed across the border at gunpoint, according to activists and lawyers who have challenged the measures in court.
From Barron's • May 25, 2026
But Priddy was concerned that his attempts to achieve eugenic sterilizations would still be challenged by state and federal courts.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
