- 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.
The German automaker blamed a challenging market environment, especially in China, Porsche goodwill impairment and restructuring expenses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Hall led the party through the exceedingly challenging times of the Cold War era, the aftermath of McCarthyism, and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union.
From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026
Previously, Zscaler pursued a strategy of “opportunity-based selling” focused on finding new customers to buy its products, an approach that proved challenging as the market became more saturated.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
If there was a table for under-performance, Hibs would be challenging at the top.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
Tradition called for me to provide a kind of gentle light, flattering the president with my devotion, flattering the nation primarily by not challenging it.
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.
