demanding

adjective

de·​mand·​ing di-ˈman-diŋ 

-ˈmän-, 

dē-

: requiring much time, effort, or attention : exacting

a demanding job

demanding customers

demandingly

di-ˈman-diŋ-lē 

-ˈmän-, 

dē-

adverb

demandingness noun

Synonyms of demanding

• challenging
• difficult

Examples of demanding in a Sentence

She had a demanding schedule with little free time.

Factory work can be physically demanding.

I have heard it is one of the most demanding courses at the university.

Their boss was really demanding, often expecting them to work long into the night.

Recent Examples on the Web

Friends and colleagues close to King said they were saddened by his death, but remembered him as a hard-working and demanding judge who was also thoughtful and fair. —Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 3 May 2026

But Mari is also imbued with a deep self-confidence and appears largely unfazed by the seismic task of dealing with the most demanding woman in fashion. —Alex Ritman, Variety, 1 May 2026

Of course, there is also an incredibly demanding (and intimidating) boss, which might feel intense to some kids (and adults). —Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026

That would be in addition to the 7×2 variant currently flying, which would continue to be used for less demanding missions. —Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of demand entry 2

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for demanding

• commanding
• disbanding
• expanding
• freestanding
• misbranding
• outstanding
• remanding
• upstanding
• withstanding
• banding
• branding
• handing

Kids Definition

demanding

adjective

de·​mand·​ing

di-ˈman-diŋ

: making many or difficult demands : exacting

a demanding job

demandingly adverb