Challengingly

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a way that requires significant effort or skill while also encouraging a competitive spirit or stimulating personal growth
2. In a manner that provokes thoughtful engagement and challenges one's capabilities or encourages striving for improvement
3. Performed in a manner that demands effort and tests ability

Etymology: "Challengingly" is a straightforward formation: the adjective "challenging" with the suffix "-ly" added to turn it into an adverb. The suffix itself has a long pedigree. It descends from a Proto-Germanic element meaning "body" or "form," which developed into "-līċe" in Old English, where it was attached to adjectives to mean "in the manner of" that adjective. Over the Middle English period it wore down to "-ly," the form still used today. The adjective "challenging" is itself a later creation from the verb "challenge," so the adverb sits at the end of a chain of derivations rather than at the root of one. Its meaning follows the adjective: something done challengingly demands real effort or skill, and often pushes the person doing it to compete harder or improve.

Synonyms: demandingly, provocatively, daringly, testingly, confrontationally

Antonyms: easily, simply, uncomplicatedly, comfortingly, tranquilly