demanding

The word “demanding” means requiring a lot of effort, skill, or patience. In plain terms, something that takes a lot out of you, or someone who expects a lot from others.

“Demanding” is pronounced dih-MAHN-dihng (/dəˈmændɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “demanding” used in a sentence: “Nursing is a physically and emotionally demanding job.”

The opposite of “demanding” — its antonyms — is undemanding.

“Demanding” is an adjective.

“Demanding” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Demanding” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: requiring a lot of effort, skill, or patience.

Both describe tasks that require effort, but "challenging" often carries a positive sense of a rewarding test of ability, while "demanding" stresses that something requires a lot of effort, skill, or patience and can feel draining. A challenging project can be enjoyable, whereas a demanding one emphasizes the heavy toll it takes.

A "demanding" job is one that requires a lot of effort, skill, or patience, while a "demanding" person expects high standards from others and is not easily satisfied. The same word describes either the workload of a task or the high expectations of a person.

"Strict" means firmly enforcing rules and discipline, while "demanding" means expecting a high standard and being hard to satisfy. A strict person insists on obedience to rules, whereas a demanding person keeps pushing for better results.

Describing a person as "demanding" is usually mild criticism, suggesting they expect a high standard from others and are not easily satisfied. Applied to a task, however, "demanding" is more neutral and simply means it requires considerable effort or skill.