challenged
Americanadjective
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Often Offensive. a euphemism for disabled (usually preceded by an adverb).
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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.
Two appeals courts have gone the other way and upheld age rules, including a Texas law on mail ballots for seniors that was challenged in 2020 amid the Covid pandemic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Quantum mechanics has long challenged the familiar idea that an object must occupy one precise place at a given moment.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026
Roberts's one-sentence order means that work on the ballroom, which has been challenged by historical preservation groups, may proceed while litigation plays out in the lower courts.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
Raman asked off mic as Bass challenged her to step down from all her boards.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
As the dim, humid space filled with booing and shouts of triumph, Frankie met my gaze again and challenged me with a smirk.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
