challenge

Noun

a demanding or stimulating situation
- "they reacted irrationally to the challenge of Russian power"
a call to engage in a contest or fight
questioning a statement and demanding an explanation
- "his challenge of the assumption that Japan is still our enemy"
a formal objection to the selection of a particular person as a juror
a demand by a sentry for a password or identification
A confrontation; a dare.
An antagonization or instigation intended to convince a person to perform an action they otherwise would not.
A confrontation; a dare.
A bid to overcome something.
A confrontation; a dare.
An attempt to take possession; a tackle.
A confrontation; a dare.
A summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons.
A confrontation; a dare.
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.
A confrontation; a dare.
An attempt to have a work of literature restricted or removed from a public library or school curriculum.
A difficult task, especially one that the person making the attempt finds more enjoyable because of that difficulty.
A procedure or action.
The act of appealing a ruling or decision of a court of administrative agency.
A procedure or action.
A judge's interest in the result of a case, constituting grounds for them to not be allowed to sit the case (e.g., a conflict of interest).
A procedure or action.
The act of seeking to remove a judge, arbitrator, or other judicial or semi-judicial figure for reasons of alleged bias or incapacity.
A procedure or action.
An act of seeking to have a certain person be declared not legally qualified to vote, made when the person offers their ballot.
The opening and crying of hounds upon first finding the scent of their game.

Verb

take exception to
- "She challenged his claims"
issue a challenge to
- "Fischer challenged Spassky to a match"
ask for identification
- "The illegal immigrant was challenged by the border guard"
raise a formal objection in a court of law
To invite (someone) to take part in a competition.
To dare (someone).
To dispute (something); to contest.
To call something into question or dispute.
To make a formal objection to a juror.
To be difficult or challenging for.
To claim as due; to demand as a right.
To censure; to blame.
To question or demand the countersign from (one who attempts to pass the lines).
To object to the reception of the vote of, e.g. on the ground that the person is not qualified as a voter.
To take (a final exam) in order to get credit for a course without taking it.

Examples

a challenge to the king's authority
Consanguinity in direct line is a challenge for a judge when he or she is sitting cases.
New information challenged old hypotheses.
The sentinel challenged us with "Who goes there?"
to challenge the accuracy of a statement or of a quotation
We challenged the boys next door to a game of football.
We're still waiting to hear how the court rules on our challenge of the arbitrator based on conflict of interest.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English chalenge, variant with palatalization of Middle English kalange (“an accusation, claim”), from Old French chalenge, chalonge, palatalized Central French variants of Old Northern French calenge, calonge (see Continental Norman calengier), from Latin calumnia (“a false accusation, calumny”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱeh₁l-, *keh₁l- (“to beguile, deceive”). Cognate with Old English hōl (“calumny”). Doublet of calumny.

Synonyms

dispute, gainsay, take exception, becall, call out

Scrabble Score: 15

challenge: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
challenge: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
challenge: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 19

challenge: valid Words With Friends Word