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

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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

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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
Succession and ownership Succession is another growing challenge. — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026 For the teams themselves, the games present opportunities and challenges. — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 4 Oct. 2026
Verb
The department has under 300 firefighters and Bolen said the department’s staffing needs have been challenged to meet that growth. — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 3 Oct. 2026 Kyle challenged the stop, the continued detention, and Alaniz’s use of the ALPR systems. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 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
  • Miltenberg’s objection centers on comments James made before her office was appointed to lead the criminal investigation.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • As for the constant chatter about the unwelcome safety tech, Roma said the objections may be exaggerated.
    — Morgan Korn, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of objection
Noun
  • Although the problem warrants a systemic fix, the best short-term solution is for hospitals to create more nuanced documentation tools, and for clinicians to exercise judgment when using them.
    — Leah Pierson, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Pennsylvania and New York are not the only states with a growing problem.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of problem
Verb
  • The apartment that people questioned spending money on is the same one that built her career.
    — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Certainly there were clear taboos, beginning with questioning the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party and criticizing the country’s central leadership.
    — Howard W. French, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of question
Verb
  • To get her father and his siblings to offer answers to questions no one had ever dared ask in the past until Duong’s cameras rolled, an inventive hybrid documentary-narrative model was hatched for the film.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Who was the first person to domesticate dogs, to dare to bring a wolf into their cave and tame it?
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of dare
Verb
  • In its base case, about 11 million workers, roughly 7% of the workforce, would need to leave their occupations entirely, with a range of 6 million to 16 million.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Engineers needed the spacecraft to track specific targets with enough precision for reliable emissions measurements.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of need
Noun
  • The meeting has fallen to roughly 15 minutes and is now largely about exceptions, problems and decisions.
    — Keith Ferrazzi, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Anthropic allows exceptions for certain government contracts when contractual restrictions and safeguards adequately mitigate potential harm.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of exception
Noun
  • Furnari recalled that some of the song’s early music and lyrics came together quickly, but writing words that could do justice to their experience was another matter.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 4 Oct. 2026
  • This achievement could give scientists a new way to control how light interacts with matter, study extremely fast quantum processes, and eventually distinguish molecules that are mirror images of each other.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of matter
Verb
  • Chief Justice John Roberts gave the Federal Communications Commission a temporary win on Thursday in its legal battle over who is entitled to favorable advertising rates in the closing weeks of the costly and hotly contested midterm elections.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • All 21 board seats are up for grabs, and though most members are running to keep their seats, the races are expected to be hotly contested.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on challenge

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about challenge

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