- present participle of challenge.
challenging
Americanadjective
-
offering a challenge; testing one's ability, endurance, etc.
a challenging course;
a challenging game.
-
stimulating, interesting, and thought-provoking.
a challenging suggestion.
-
provocative; intriguing.
a challenging smile.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of challenging
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, as a gerund; 1835–45 for sense of "testing one's ability"; see challenge ( def. ), -ing 2 ( def. )
Explanation
If something is challenging, you better bring your "A game." It isn't going to be easy but you will get to test your skills as you push yourself, like completing a challenging crossword puzzle or a challenging hike up a mountain. Another meaning of challenging is "causing to question values or assumptions," like a challenging movie that makes you re-evaluate your attitude about something. In other words, it challenges what you believe. People sometimes use challenging as a polite — and far more positive — substitute for troublesome or problematic, as in, "This challenging situation will require everyone's patience."
Vocabulary lists containing challenging
Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 11-20
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Towers Falling
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Persuasive and Assertive Tones
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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.
Authorities described the conditions Sunday as still "challenging", but two of the fire fronts -- heading towards the localities of Jalhay and Monschau -- were now "under control", according to Interior Minister Bernard Quintin.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
"These changes can also increase fatigue and make walking longer distances more challenging, while reducing the ability to recover from trips or slips -- a key factor in falls among older adults."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
But it becomes much more challenging as the state gets closer to its 2045 target, when the entire grid must be clean.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
Ch Supt Owain Llewellyn said it has been a "challenging search operation".
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Shouldn’t the focus be on improving ourselves, rather than challenging a biased system?
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.
