# challenge

/ˈtʃæɫəndʒ/ (US) · /tʃˈælɪndʒ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/challenge
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Senses

### 1. a difficult task

noun · CEFR B1

something that is difficult to do but often fun or rewarding because it tests your abilities.

For teachers: a demanding task or situation that tests a person's abilities or resources.

- Learning a new language is a big challenge, but it is very rewarding.
- The management team faced the challenge of restructuring the department without losing the trust of their long-term employees.

### 2. an invitation to compete

noun · CEFR B1

an invitation to someone to take part in a competition, fight, or argument.

For teachers: a call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or to prove something.

- He accepted his friend's challenge to a game of chess.
- The reigning champion issued a formal challenge to any contender willing to meet him in the ring next spring.

### 3. to question something

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to say that you think something is wrong or not true.

For teachers: to dispute the truth, validity, or authority of something. Transitive — requires a direct object.

- The lawyer decided to challenge the witness's story in court.
- New evidence emerged that allowed the researchers to challenge the long-held theory regarding the planet's atmospheric composition.

### 4. to invite to a contest

verb · CEFR B1

to ask someone to compete against you in a game or fight.

For teachers: to invite someone to engage in a contest, competition, or duel.

- I challenged him to a race to the end of the street.
- The startup company challenged the industry leader by offering a more efficient service at half the price.

### 5. to test someone's skills

verb · CEFR B2

to be difficult in a way that makes someone work hard or think a lot.

For teachers: to stimulate someone's interest or test their ability by presenting them with a difficult task.

- The teacher always tries to challenge her students with hard math problems.
- The new role was designed to challenge her creatively, pushing her to develop skills she had never used in her previous position.

### 6. to demand identification

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to stop someone and ask them who they are or for a secret password.

For teachers: to signal a person to stop and give a countersign or identification.

- The guard challenged the stranger at the gate and asked for his ID.
- Sentries were instructed to challenge anyone approaching the perimeter after nightfall to prevent unauthorised entry into the compound.

## Examples

- Learning a new language is a big challenge.
- The team faced the challenge of finishing the entire project in just two weeks.
- While the initial phase of the research was straightforward, the real challenge lay in interpreting the vast amount of data collected during the final months of the study.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.