challenged

American  

[chal-injd] / ˈtʃæl ɪndʒd /

adjective

1. Often Offensive. a euphemism for disabled (usually preceded by an adverb).

2. deficient or lacking (usually preceded by an adverb or noun and used facetiously).

   ethically challenged; math-challenged.

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challenged British  

/ ˈtʃælɪndʒd /

adjective

1. (in combination) disabled or disadvantaged in some way

   physically challenged performers

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Sensitive Note

See disabled.

Other Word Forms

• unchallenged adjective

Etymology

Origin of challenged

An Americanism dating back to 1980–85; challenge ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

When he challenged her, a row broke out, he says.

From BBC

They have also challenged the country’s fundamental selling point—that it is an oasis of peace in a rough neighborhood.

From The Wall Street Journal

It’s very hard for people right now and I feel challenged to say how it is better, because I’m working.

From Los Angeles Times

But we no longer live exclusively in the age of the physical battlefield; we fight a parallel war in cyberspace, where U.S. dominance is challenged.

From The Wall Street Journal

In 2023, Donner filed a lawsuit in a Washington, D.C., court that contended his dismissal was linked to several instances in which he challenged the veracity of the network’s coverage.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• debated