Meaning of challenge In English

• 0 (the situation of being faced with) something that needs great mental or physical effort in order to be done successfully and therefore tests a person's ability:

  • Finding a solution to this problem is one of the greatest challenges faced by scientists today.

  • You know me - I like a challenge.

  • It's going to be a difficult job but I'm sure she'll rise to the challenge.

• 1 an invitation to compete or take part, especially in a game or argument:

  • "I bet you can't eat all that food on your plate." "Is that a challenge?"

  • [ + to infinitive ] She issued a challenge to her rival candidates to take part in a public debate.

  • The Ice Bucket Challenge, in which people filmed themselves being doused with icy water, raised awareness and over $100 million for the ALS Association.

• 2 asking if something is true or legal:

  • The result of the vote poses a serious challenge to the government's credibility.

  • Because of the way this research was conducted, its findings are open to challenge.

• 3 an instruction given by a soldier or guard at a border or gate, telling someone to stand still and say their name and reasons for being there

• 4 the act of refusing to accept someone as a member of a jury:

  • A challenge to a member of the jury should be made before the trial begins.

• 5 to invite someone to compete or take part, especially in a game or argument:

  • Tina has challenged me to a game of poker

• 6 to question if something is true or legal:

  • Children challenge their parents' authority far more nowadays than they did in the past.

• 7 to test someone's ability or determination

• 8 to tell someone at a border or gate to stand still and say their name and reasons for being there

• 9 to refuse to accept someone as a member of a jury

• 10 something needing great mental or physical effort in order to be done successfully, or the situation of facing this kind of effort:

  • [ C ] It’s a challenge being in a marriage when both partners have high-pressure jobs.

  • [ C ] No matter how long you write, poetry remains a challenge.

  • [ C ] Germany faces broad challenges in the coming years.

• 11 a questioning or expression of doubt about the truth or purpose of something, or the right of a person to have or do something:

  • [ U ] Because of the way this research was done, its findings are open to challenge.

  • [ C ] The president is clearly anticipating a new challenge to his authority.

• 12 something that competes with you or is a threat:

  • The governor barely survived a challenge from an unknown opponent in the primary.

• 13 to invite someone to take part in a competition:

  • The other candidates challenged the president to take part in a debate.

• 14 to present tasks to someone that need great mental or physical effort in order to be done successfully:

  • It’s easy enough to crank out college graduates, but a good education should really challenge them.

• 15 to express or represent doubt about the truth of something:

  • Advanced computers challenge long-held notions about intelligence and thought.

• 16 a job, duty, or situation that is difficult because you must use a lot of effort, determination, and skill in order to be successful:

  • accept/face/meet a challenge After significant losses last year, the company now faces the challenge of trying to repair its reputation with investors.

  • be/pose/present a challenge The weakness of the dollar could pose a challenge to the company's expansion plans.

  • As a software developer he enjoys the challenge of working with cutting-edge technology.

  • She was getting bored at work and felt she needed a new challenge.

  • Finding time to do the work has proven a real challenge.

  • a big/major/serious challenge

• 17 an invitation for someone to compete against you or for you to prove that you can achieve a particular goal:

  • challenge from sb Responding to a challenge from dissident shareholders, the board approved a number of steps to enhance shareholder value.

• 18 an act of asking whether something is true or legal, or whether someone has the authority or right to do something:

  • mount/launch a challenge against Unions are planning to launch a legal challenge against the airline for changing the work schedules of 14,000 cabin crew.

• 19 to officially question whether something is true or legal, or whether someone has the authority or right to do something:

  • Keep copies of all written correspondence to support your case if the company later challenges you for further payment.

  • Corporate lawyers challenged the ban, but the court upheld it last year.

• 20 to compete against someone or ask them to prove that they can achieve a particular goal:

  • challenge sb to do sth Consumers are challenging manufacturers to adopt greener policies.

• 21 to encourage someone to increase their skills, determination, abilities, etc. by making them do something new or difficult:

  • People are just looking for jobs that will challenge and inspire them.

• 22 to cause difficulties for someone or something:

  • Local businesses have been greatly challenged by the recession.