challenge 1 of 2

noun

Definition of challengenext
1
as in objection
a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent there were no serious challenges to the legislative bill, so it passed easily

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in problem
something that requires thought and skill for resolution the many challenges facing developing countries in the 21st century

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

challenge

2 of 2

verb

ˈcha-lənj How to pronounce challenge (audio)
1
as in to question
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of don't hesitate to challenge any statement that generalizes about people

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to dare
to invite (someone) to take part in a contest or to perform a feat I challenge you to swim to the other side of the pond

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to require
to have as a requirement having to put up with an overbearing boss challenges forbearance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of challenge
Noun
What else is needed Yet a bridge can't solve all challenges that face remote communities. — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026 The Cubs won five challenges, while the Reds won the remaining three. — Chantz Martin Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
Walking in the Footsteps of the Haiku Master Walk Japan offers a range of walks and has been leading small groups since 1992, on trips that are deeply cultural and, to varying degrees, challenging. — Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Trump is also challenging his conviction through the state court appellate process, which is pending. — Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for challenge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for challenge
  1. objection
  2. problem
  3. question
  4. dare
  5. need
  6. exception
  7. matter
  8. contest
Noun
  • The sale has drawn objections from the flight attendants union and a software firm that says some of the data isn’t Spirit’s to sell.
    — Jeff Kleinma, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Collins, Scott, and Whitmer spent much of the past year and a half framing their objections as cautionary.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of objection
Noun
  • But there’s a deeper problem, by Dartmouth provost Santiago Schnell, as 100% AI-written.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The problem is, Isolde is very busy with work, so Ry is often left to herself with four alarms a day to take medication to prevent seizures.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of problem
Verb
  • Critics also questioned whether UCLA’s athletic department had adapted quickly enough to the NIL era.
    — Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • At Liberty High School in Frisco, Texas, Muslim students had used a spare classroom to pray without incident from 2009 to 2017, when Paxton’s office sent the district a letter questioning whether other students were being excluded.
    — Asma Uddin, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of question
Verb
  • Sick and frail Despite Western appeals, the reformists ruling Serbia after Milosevic's fall did not dare move against a man who was a hero to a core of nationalist Serbs.
    — Ivana Sekularac, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Former Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons told Gossard and Ament about a guy living in San Diego named Eddie Vedder, who had recently made an impression on Irons and his friends, Flea among them, with his daring antics on a camping trip.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of dare
Verb
  • Patterson, who turns 27 on Tuesday, has experience at guard and center, and the 49ers needed a backup at both spots considering Toth’s lingering concussion symptoms.
    — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Any business, town or development group needs this data informing their decisions.
    — Twila Moon, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of need
Noun
  • With rare exceptions, EV sound is little more than an affectation.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Washington had carved out exceptions for itself and some European countries to buy Russian oil, and the Biden administration had even encouraged India to buy Russian oil under a price cap as part of a plan to stabilize the global oil market.
    — C. Raja Mohan, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of exception
Noun
  • Conduct a Soil Test Taking samples of the soil from several places in the lawn will provide information about soil acidity (pH), nutrient levels, and organic matter content.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026
  • From obscurity to the top of the football world, all in the matter of a few days.
    — Sam McDowell August 29, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of matter
Verb
  • During the 19th century, President Abraham Lincoln used the Prize Act of 1812 to blockade Confederate seaports—an act that was contested and eventually upheld by the Supreme Court.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The investment comes as militaries are placing greater emphasis on electronic warfare, airborne sensing and the ability to operate in environments where communications and radar systems may be contested.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of contest

Browse Nearby Words

chalky
challenge
challenged
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Cite this Entry

“Challenge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/challenge. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on challenge

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about challenge

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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