CHALLENGE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does challenge mean? 

• CHALLENGE (noun)
  The noun CHALLENGE has 5 senses:

1. a demanding or stimulating situation

2. a call to engage in a contest or fight

3. questioning a statement and demanding an explanation

4. a formal objection to the selection of a particular person as a juror

5. a demand by a sentry for a password or identification

  Familiarity information: CHALLENGE used as a noun is common.

• CHALLENGE (verb)
  The verb CHALLENGE has 4 senses:

1. take exception to

2. issue a challenge to

3. ask for identification

4. raise a formal objection in a court of law

  Familiarity information: CHALLENGE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CHALLENGE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A demanding or stimulating situation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Context example:

they reacted irrationally to the challenge of Russian power

Hypernyms ("challenge" is a kind of...):

situation; state of affairs (the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A call to engage in a contest or fight

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("challenge" is a kind of...):

speech act (the use of language to perform some act)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "challenge"):

confrontation (a bold challenge)

call-out (a challenge to a fight or duel)

defiance (a hostile challenge)

calling into question; demand for explanation (a challenge to defend what someone has said)

demand for identification (as by a sentry)

gantlet; gauntlet (to offer or accept a challenge)

dare; daring (a challenge to do something dangerous or foolhardy)

Derivation:

challenge (issue a challenge to)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Questioning a statement and demanding an explanation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

his challenge of the assumption that Japan is still our enemy

Hypernyms ("challenge" is a kind of...):

inquiring; questioning (a request for information)

Derivation:

challenge (take exception to)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A formal objection to the selection of a particular person as a juror

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("challenge" is a kind of...):

objection (the speech act of objecting)

Derivation:

challenge (raise a formal objection in a court of law)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A demand by a sentry for a password or identification

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("challenge" is a kind of...):

demand (an urgent or peremptory request)

Derivation:

challenge (ask for identification)

• CHALLENGE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they challenge    ... he / she / it challenges   
Past simple: challenged   
Past participle: challenged   
-ing form: challenging   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take exception to

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

challenge; dispute; gainsay

Context example:

She challenged his claims

Hypernyms (to "challenge" is one way to...):

contend; contest; repugn (to make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation)

"Challenge" entails doing...:

call into question; oppugn; question (challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "challenge"):

call (challenge the sincerity or truthfulness of)

call (challenge (somebody) to make good on a statement; charge with or censure for an offense)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

challenge (questioning a statement and demanding an explanation)

challengeable (capable of being challenged)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Issue a challenge to

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

Fischer challenged Spassky to a match

Hypernyms (to "challenge" is one way to...):

bid; invite (ask someone in a friendly way to do something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "challenge"):

impeach (challenge the honesty or veracity of)

litigate (engage in legal proceedings)

action; litigate; process; sue (institute legal proceedings against; file a suit against)

appeal (take a court case to a higher court for review)

remand; remit; send back (refer (a matter or legal case) to another committee or authority or court for decision)

call out (challenge to a duel)

call one's bluff (ask to prove what someone is claiming)

dare; defy (challenge)

impugn (attack as false or wrong)

call into question; oppugn; question (challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of)

counterchallenge (challenge in turn)

provoke; stimulate (provide the needed stimulus for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They challenge him to write the letter

Derivation:

challenge (a call to engage in a contest or fight)

challenger (the contestant you hope to defeat)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Ask for identification

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

The illegal immigrant was challenged by the border guard

Hypernyms (to "challenge" is one way to...):

ask for; bespeak; call for; quest; request (express the need or desire for)

"Challenge" entails doing...:

halt; stop (come to a halt, stop moving)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

challenge (a demand by a sentry for a password or identification)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Raise a formal objection in a court of law

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

challenge; take exception

Hypernyms (to "challenge" is one way to...):

object (express or raise an objection or protest or criticism or express dissent)

Domain category:

jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "challenge"):

appeal (challenge (a decision))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

challenge (a formal objection to the selection of a particular person as a juror)

 Context examples 

Hence, research laboratories are working on innovative projects to deal with the challenges of “smart cities” or cities of the future.

(Scientists design “smart” asphalts with magnetic materials for safer electric scooters, University of Granada)

Bacteria and other swimming microorganisms evolved to thrive in challenging environments.

(Tiny swimming 'doughnuts' deliver the biomedical goods, National Science Foundation)

These interventions can be very challenging to individuals and difficult to achieve.

(Type 2 diabetes remission possible with ‘achievable’ weight loss, University of Cambridge)

Lower phosphate levels pose challenges for algae, which are predicted to suffer as climate change makes ocean nutrients scarcer.

(Study reveals new patterns of key ocean nutrient, National Science Foundation)

The fight against malaria has been long and challenging.

(The Dog's Nose Knows Malaria, Kevin Enochs/VOA)

Now theorists will have to take up the challenge of explaining its formation.

(Unpredicted stellar black hole discovered by astronomers, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

But there are challenges to be addressed before this can be used on a commercial scale.

(Smog-eating graphene composite reduces atmospheric pollution, University of Cambridge)

The challenge is to target the toxic molecule at the cancer cell only, and not at healthy cells.

(Scientists successfully deliver “Trojan horse” catalysts into cancerous tumour cells to destroy them from within, Universities of Granada)

Children who recently had had an allergic reaction to sesame or were known to tolerate concentrated sesame, such as tahini, in their diet were not offered an oral food challenge.

(17% of Food-Allergic Children Have Sesame Allergy, National Institutes of Health)

The challenge is prioritizing the right ones when there are thousands of potential options.

(Scientists find promising drug combination against lethal childhood brain cancers, National Institutes of Health)