high-maintenance

American  

[hahy--meyn-tuh-nuhns] / ˈhaɪ ˈmeɪn tə nəns /

adjective

1. needing frequent or major maintenance or repair.

   Imported sports cars are high-maintenance.

2. Informal. (of a person) demanding a great deal of attention, money, or effort.

   His high-maintenance girlfriend refuses to get engaged without a big diamond ring.

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high-maintenance British  

adjective

1. (of a piece of equipment, motor vehicle, etc) requiring regular maintenance to keep it in working order

2. informal (of a person) requiring a high level of care and attention; demanding

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Etymology

Origin of high-maintenance

First recorded in 1915–20 high-maintenance for def. 1; 1980–85 high-maintenance for def. 2; high ( def. ) + maintenance ( def. )

Example Sentences

I don’t need a “high-maintenance” lifestyle, just one where I can volunteer if I choose, enjoy living in my house and travel a little bit when it is warm out.

From MarketWatch

But adapting the high-maintenance, taste-challenged animal to other countries’ cuisines has pushed chefs to extremes.

From The Wall Street Journal

The remaining option is to find a third country to take her in, but that too is fraught: few governments are likely to accept a "high-maintenance guest with serious legal problems and security needs", Mr Kugelman says.

From BBC

It’s no surprise that the industry has been desperate to dump its high-maintenance lover for almost as long as they’ve been together.

From The Wall Street Journal

It is Ms. Ripa who suffers more than her husband, perhaps because she’s not making the decisions and/or because she has no constitutional immunity to the nervous agitation of high-maintenance fandom.

From The Wall Street Journal