challenged

/ˈt͡ʃæl.ɪnd͡ʒd/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

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

Adjective

Examples

mentally challenged

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

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

AdjectiveRegister: humorous

Examples

He's not short; he's vertically challenged

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “challenged” mean?

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

Is “challenged” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.