challenging
/ˈtʃælɪndʒɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtʃælɪndʒɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈcha-lən-jiŋ/ (ame, mw)
challenging — adjective
- challengingpositive
- more challengingcomparative
- most challengingsuperlative
1. Something that is challenging pushes you to use more effort, skill, or patience
Something that is challenging pushes you to use more effort, skill, or patience than usual in order to deal with it successfully.
Aiko found the maths test challenging because it covered topics she had never studied before.
challenging + because-clause for reason
Running a marathon is one of the most challenging physical activities a person can attempt.
superlative: one of the most challenging
The young chef created a challenging dish that required twelve different cooking techniques.
Leila's doctor gave her a set of challenging exercises to help her ankle recover after the accident.
Repairing the old motorcycle turned out to be more challenging than Kofi had expected.
- demanding
stronger focus on the effort or time required; can describe both tasks and people
- tough
informal; similar meaning but does not emphasize growth or testing of ability
- difficult
most common and general; neutral — does not imply a positive or growth-oriented challenge
- taxing
suggests mental or physical strain, often exhausting rather than stimulating
- easy
requiring little effort or skill
- simple
not complicated; straightforward
- undemanding
not requiring much effort or attention
文法句型
be challenging
find + noun + challenging
more challenging than
用法筆記
This adjective is gradable, so you can use 'very', 'more', and 'most' with it. It usually describes tasks, situations, or experiences — not people. To describe a person who tests your abilities, use 'demanding' instead.