challenges

Noun

challenge (plural challenges)

1. An antagonization or instigation intended to convince a person to perform an action they otherwise would not.
   • Congratulations on managing to use the phrase “preponderant criterion” in a chart (“On your marks”, November 9th). Was this the work of a kakorrhaphiophobic journalist set a challenge by his colleagues, or simply an example of glossolalia?2013 November 30, Paul Davis, “Letters: Say it as simply as possible”, in The Economist, volume 409, number 8864
2. A bid to overcome something.
   • a challenge to the king's authority
3. An attempt to take possession; a tackle.
   • Argentine midfielder Jonas Gutierrez added a superb second when he surged past four challenges to fire in low.2011 October 1, Saj Chowdhury, “Wolverhampton 1-2 Newcastle”, in BBC Sport
4. A summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons.
5. The act of a sentry in halting a person and demanding the countersign, or (by extension) the action of a computer system demanding a password, etc.
   • The somewhat-shattered San Francisco also managed to make it out, although not before she'd come within seconds of being blown out of the water by Helena, as the two had lost contact in the dark and the flagship had loomed back out of the murk with no one and nothing available to answer the light...2021 March 10, Drachinifel, 27:16 from the start, in Guadalcanal Campaign - The Big Night Battle: Night 1 (IJN 3(?) : 2 USN), archived from the original on 07 Nov 2022
6. An attempt to have a work of literature restricted or removed from a public library or school curriculum.

See all 23 meanings of challenge