demanding
Americanadjective
-
requiring or claiming more than is generally felt by others to be due.
a demanding teacher.
-
calling for intensive effort or attention; taxing.
a demanding job.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of demanding
Explanation
Something that's demanding calls for more work or skill than the typical task. Babysitting might seem like an easy job, but depending on the kids it can actually be incredibly demanding. A demanding job might require a lot of physical work, like farming, or a lot of patience and diplomacy, like being a teacher or a marriage counselor. When a person is described as demanding, it usually means that he or she has very high standards or is especially hard to satisfy. The word comes from the Old French demander, "to request or demand," by way of the Latin demandare, "entrust."
Vocabulary lists containing demanding
Prince (1958-2016) Tribute List
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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.
But as artificial intelligence grows more demanding, the limits of electron-based hardware are becoming harder to ignore.
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
I hope voters check out at least one episode to see Patricia Arquette’s commanding performance as Maggie Murdaugh, Alex’s long-suffering, demanding wife.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
But last year, Louisiana filed a suit in federal court demanding the rule’s return.
From Slate • May 18, 2026
"An outstanding soldier and a role model to many she worked with," they added, saying she had "natural courage that made her always the first to volunteer to the ride the most demanding of horses".
From BBC • May 18, 2026
Blacks had been alternately asking for and demanding such a body for more than a year.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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.
