- present participle of demand.
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.
Strikingly, this comes at a time when beleaguered orchestra musicians have also been demanding a more democratically minded workplace.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
Cash flows are being questioned over concerns that they’ve in some cases already turned negative, he said, noting that “investors are being more demanding on their expectations.”
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
Thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers blocked a major highway and clashed with police on Monday, demanding a monthly minimum wage more than double their current pay, as protests spread across industrial hubs.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
But lenders and investors there are getting choosier about where to place their bets and are demanding tougher terms, my colleagues Peter Rudegeair, Robbie Whelan and Jack Pitcher reported.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026
A one-woman publicity machine, she sent out indignant press releases, as well as letters to the government demanding a public accounting.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
