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challenging - 20 thesaurus results
| Main Entry: | challenge |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | dispute, question |
| Synonyms: | accost, arouse, assert, beard, brave, call for, claim, confront, cross, dare, defy, demand, denounce, exact, face the music*, impeach, impose, impugn, inquire, investigate, provoke, query, reclaim, require, stimulate, summon, tax, test, throw down the gauntlet*, try, vindicate, ask for, call out, face down, face off, fly in the face of, hang in, insist upon, invite competition, make a point of, make a stand, object to, search out, stand up to, stick it out |
| Antonyms: | agreement, answer, decision, victory |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | defiant |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | disobedient, disregardful |
| Synonyms: | aggressive, audacious, bold, contumacious, daring, gutsy*, insolent, insubordinate, mutinous, obstinate, provocative, rebellious, recalcitrant, reckless, refractory, resistant, sassy*, truculent, challenging, insubmissive, resistive |
| Antonyms: | obedient, respectful, submissive, acquiescent, submitting, subordinating |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | inquisitive |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | curious |
| Synonyms: | analytical, forward, impertinent, inquiring, interested, intrusive, meddlesome, meddling, nosy, personal, presumptuous, prying, questioning, searching, speculative, big-eyed, challenging, inquisitorial, investigative, peering, poking, probing, scrutinizing, sifting, snooping |
| Antonyms: | indifferent, unconcerned, uninterested, incurious |
| Main Entry: | stimulating |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | exciting |
| Synonyms: | appealing, bracing, breathtaking, exhilarating, hair-raising*, hectic, inspiring, interesting, invigorating, lively, moving, provocative, rousing, spine-tingling*, stirring, thought-provoking, thrilling, adrenalizing, arousing, challenging, electrifying, energizing, gripping, titillating |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | difficult |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | hard on someone; hard to do |
| Synonyms: | Gargantuan*, Herculean*, ambitious, arduous, bothersome, burdensome, crucial, demanding, exacting, formidable, galling, heavy, immense, intricate, irritating, labored, laborious, onerous, operose, painful, problem, problematic, prohibitive, rigid, severe, stiff, strenuous, titanic, toilsome, tough, troublesome, trying, unyielding, uphill, wearisome, backbreaker, challenging, difficile, easier said than done, effortful, hard-won, no picnic, not easy, upstream |
| Antonyms: | calm, easy, free, manageable, plain, simple, uncomplicated |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | provocative |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | aggravating |
| Synonyms: | annoying, disturbing, exciting, galling, heady, influential, insulting, intoxicating, offensive, outrageous, provoking, pushing, stimulant, stimulating, challenging, goading, incensing, inciting, inspirational, spurring |
| Antonyms: | repressive, suppressive, unprovocative |
| Main Entry: | ambitious |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | requiring great effort, ability |
| Synonyms: | arduous, bold, demanding, difficult, elaborate, energetic, exacting, formidable, grandiose, hard, impressive, industrious, lofty, pretentious, severe, strenuous, visionary, challenging |
| Antonyms: | easy, facile |
| Main Entry: | formidable |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | difficult, overwhelming |
| Synonyms: | arduous, awesome, colossal, great, hard, impressive, indomitable, intimidating, labored, laborious, mammoth, mighty, murder*, onerous, overpowering, powerful, rough*, staggering, strenuous, toilsome, tough*, tremendous, uphill*, all-powerful, ballbuster, challenging, dismaying, effortful, puissant, rough go, tall order, tough proposition |
| Antonyms: | easy, pleasant, trivial, not hard |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | accost |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | approach for conversation or solicitation |
| Synonyms: | address, annoy, bother, brace*, call, challenge, confront, cross, dare, entice, face, flag, greet, hail, proposition, salute, welcome, buttonhole*, run into, whistle for |
| Antonyms: | avoid, dodge, evade, ignore, scorn, shun |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | arouse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | excite, entice |
| Synonyms: | agitate, alert, animate, awaken, call, challenge, electrify, enliven, foment, foster, goad, incite, inflame, instigate, kindle, move, provoke, rally, rouse, send, spark, spur, stimulate, stir, thrill, turn on, warm, whet, whip up, work up, fire up, heat up, wake up, waken |
| Antonyms: | bore, calm, lull, quiet |
| Main Entry: | ask |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | question |
| Synonyms: | buzz*, canvass, catechize, challenge, cross-examine, demand, direct, enjoin, examine, give the third degree, go over, grill*, hit*, hunt for, inquire, institute, interrogate, investigate, needle*, pick one's brains, pop the question*, pry into, pump, put the screws to, put through the wringer, query, quiz, request, roast*, sweat* |
| Antonyms: | answer, claim, command, insist, reply, repudiate, tell |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | brave |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | endure bad situation |
| Synonyms: | bear, beard, challenge, confront, court, dare, defy, face, go through, risk, suffer, support, take on, venture, withstand, face off, fly in the face of, outdare, stand up to |
| Antonyms: | capitulate, complain, dodge, fear, hide, skip, break down, give up, run away |
| Main Entry: | call |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | demand or announce action |
| Synonyms: | appoint, ask, challenge, charge, claim, command, declare, decree, elect, entreat, exact, ordain, order, postulate, proclaim, require, requisition, solicit, summon, appeal to, pray to, set apart |
| Antonyms: | stop |
| Main Entry: | claim |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | demand, maintain property or right |
| Synonyms: | adduce, advance, allege, ask, assert, believe, call for, challenge, collect, declare, defend, exact, hit, hold, insist, justify, knock, need, pick up, pop the question*, postulate, pretend, profess, pronounce, require, requisition, solicit, take, uphold, vindicate, have dibs on something, hit up, hold out for, lay claim to, stake out |
| Antonyms: | deny, disclaim, question |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | compete |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | go up against in contest |
| Synonyms: | attempt, bandy, battle, bid, challenge, clash, collide, contend, contest, emulate, encounter, essay, face, fence, fight, go for*, grapple, joust, lock horns*, oppose, play, rival, spar, strive, struggle, take on, tilt, try, tussle, vie, wrestle, be in the running, cope with, go after, go for broke, go for the gold, in the hunt, jockey for position, match strength, match wits, participate in, pit oneself against, run for, scramble for, seek prize, take part |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | contradict |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | be at variance with |
| Synonyms: | belie, buck, challenge, confront, contravene, controvert, counter, counteract, cross, dare, deny, differ, disaffirm, disclaim, disprove, dispute, gainsay, impugn, negate, negative, oppose, repudiate, take on, thumbs down, traverse, call in question, fly in the face of, have bone to pick, refuse to accept |
| Antonyms: | accept, agree, approve, concede, confirm, corroborate, reconcile, sign, verify, vouch, OK |
| Main Entry: | controvert |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | oppose, argue |
| Synonyms: | break, challenge, confound, confute, contest, contradict, counter, debate, deny, discuss, disprove, dispute, oppugn, question, rebut, refute, wrangle, disconfirm |
| Antonyms: | agree, forbear, harmonize, restrain, make peace |
| Main Entry: | demand |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | ask strongly for something |
| Synonyms: | abuse, appeal, apply, arrogate, badger, beg, beseech, besiege, bid, challenge, charge, cite, claim, coerce, command, compel, constrain, direct, enjoin, entreat, exact, expect, force, hit, implore, importune, inquire, interrogate, knock, nag, necessitate, oblige, order, pester, petition, postulate, pray, press, question, request, require, requisition, solicit, stipulate, summon, supplicate, tax, urge, clamor for, counterclaim, dun, hit up, impetrate, insist on, sue for, whistle for |
| Antonyms: | give, grant, offer, reply |
| Main Entry: | demur |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disagree |
| Synonyms: | balk, cavil, challenge, combat, complain, deprecate, disapprove, dispute, doubt, fight, hem and haw*, hesitate, object, oppose, pause, protest, pussyfoot*, refuse, remonstrate, resist, scruple, shy, stick, strain, vacillate, wait and see*, waver, stickle, take exception |
| Notes: | demur is the verb 'to object or voice opposition' while demure is the adjective meaning 'modest, shy' |
| Antonyms: | accept, agree, consent, go along |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | discredit |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | doubt, question |
| Synonyms: | challenge, deny, disbelieve, discount, dispute, distrust, mistrust, reject, put under suspicion, scoff at |
| Antonyms: | believe, credit, trust |
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
