What does demanding mean?
Demanding is an adjective describing something that requires a great deal of effort, skill, or attention to accomplish, or a person who expects a lot from those around them. A demanding job might involve long hours, intense concentration, or physical exertion, while a demanding teacher or parent sets high standards and tolerates little slacking. The word comes from the verb demand, ultimately from Latin demandare, "to entrust or commit," which also gave English words such as command and mandate. In tone, demanding is neutral when applied to tasks — a demanding workout can be worn as a badge of honor — but it often carries negative overtones when applied to people, suggesting impatience or unreasonable expectations. Its antonyms include easy and undemanding. Because it captures both the difficulty of work and the temperament of those who assign it, demanding is a versatile and widely used word in everyday English.
adjective(of a task or situation) requiring much effort, skill, or attention; difficult to accomplish well. (of a person) making strong demands on others' time, energy, or patience.
- (of a task, work, or activity) requiring considerable effort, skill, or attention; difficult to do well
- (of a person) expecting a great deal of others' time, energy, or attention; hard to please
"Teaching a class of thirty energetic children is an exhausting and demanding job."
"Climbing at high altitude is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world."
"Her demanding manager expected replies to emails within minutes, even at midnight."
The same Latin root that gives us "demanding" also powers "command," "mandate," and even "mandatory" — all built on mandare, "to entrust or order."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of demanding
Demanding is formed from the verb demand, which entered English in the Middle Ages from Old French demander, itself derived from Latin demandare, meaning "to entrust" or "to hand over," formed from de- plus mandare, "to order or commit." The same Latin root produced English words such as command, mandate, and mandatory. The adjectival use, describing tasks that require great effort or people who expect a great deal, developed naturally from the verb's sense of calling for something insistently.
Related word forms
How demanding is actually used
Fully standard in both formal and informal contexts. When applied to people, it usually carries a negative connotation, suggesting unreasonable expectations; when applied to tasks, it is largely neutral and can even be positive (a demanding challenge).
Easily confused with demanding
"Demand" is the noun or verb referring to an insistent request or need, while "demanding" is the adjective describing something that requires great effort or someone who makes many requests.