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.
Plaintiffs challenged language such as “sustainable,” “eco-friendly” and “wild-caught,” as well as claims of superior worker-safety standards.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
It’s a story I’ve repeatedly told over my decades-long journalism career, and no one has yet challenged my description of my grandmother as an immigrant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
Defence lawyers challenged the credibility of the evidence and argued the case against Ferris was deeply flawed.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Traveling down with her daughter from Blackpool for a tapestry-less visit to the museum, Roberts challenged the argument that sponsors should be getting something for their financial commitment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
My mother had lived with Robbie on and off since she was about sixteen, following every arcane rule the woman laid down, and it’s possible she was secretly happy to see Robbie’s authority challenged.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
