Standard Lemma guide

challenged

adj · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈt͡ʃæl.ɪnd͡ʒd/
  • /ˈt͡ʃæl.ənd͡ʒd/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: CH AE1 L AH0 N JH D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Disabled; lacking some physical or mental attribute or skill; used after adverbs to make politically correct adjectives.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: euphemistic

Examples

  • mentally challenged

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Used following adverbs to make adjectives in imitation of and mocking adjectives of this kind.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: humorous

Examples

  • He's not short; he's vertically challenged

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

simple past and past participle of challenge

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, participle, past

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: rajoitteinen — lacking attribute or skill
  • Portuguese: inábil — lacking attribute or skill
  • Spanish: discapacitado — lacking attribute or skill
  • Spanish: dificultado — lacking attribute or skill
  • Spanish: deficiente — lacking attribute or skill
  • Spanish: problematizado — lacking attribute or skill
  • Spanish: con discapacidad — lacking attribute or skill
  • Spanish: con dificultades — lacking attribute or skill
  • Spanish: con deficiencias — lacking attribute or skill
  • Spanish: con problemas — lacking attribute or skill
  • Finnish: rajoitteinen — used humorously
  • Spanish: carente — used humorously
  • Spanish: faltante — used humorously
  • Spanish: carecer — used humorously
  • Spanish: faltarle a — used humorously
Real reading context

challenged in complete knowledge articles