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.
That means investors have been demanding more compensation to offset perceived AI risks.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Friday that Tokyo delivered the complaint through diplomatic channels, urgently demanding that Moscow reverse the move.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
The 12-day tour would be demanding for anyone, though.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
On May 6, Kato ordered prosecutors to produce a slew of records that the attorneys had been demanding, including all communications about the incident produced by any officer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
Juanita’s continuous demanding tone was the most frustrating part of her.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
