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Preposition after adjective

challenging for or challenging of?

The adjective challenging commonly uses for before a person or group affected by difficulty. Challenging of is usually not used after the adjective.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct after challenging?

Use challenging for to describe something difficult for a person, group, or activity. Challenging of is generally not idiomatic after the adjective challenging.

The exam was challenging for first-year students.
Working at night is challenging for many parents.
The climb became challenging for inexperienced hikers.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
challenging for + person

Who experiences the difficulty?

Use for to identify the person or group that finds something difficult.

The software is challenging for beginners.
This season has been challenging for small businesses.
2
challenging for + activity

Difficulty connected to an activity or purpose

For can also introduce an activity or situation affected by difficulty.

The weather was challenging for outdoor events.
3
it is challenging to + verb

Talking about difficult actions

An infinitive is common after challenging when describing an action.

It is challenging to manage a large remote team.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
challenging for
The new rules are challenging for international students.
Standard structure showing who experiences the difficulty.
challenging of
The phrase 'challenging of students' is uncommon after the adjective.
Usually nonstandard with the adjective challenging; use challenging for or a different structure.
challenge for
Finding staff is a challenge for many restaurants.
Related noun pattern using challenge.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using challenging of after the adjective

The adjective challenging normally does not take of.

✕ The task was challenging of new employees. ✓ The task was challenging for new employees.

Confusing adjective and noun patterns

Challenge and challenging use different structures.

✕ This is a challenging to us. ✓ This is challenging for us.

Missing the infinitive after it is challenging

Use to before the verb.

✕ It is challenging manage the project. ✓ It is challenging to manage the project.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The schedule is challenging ___ new staff.
2. It is challenging ___ work across time zones.
3. Which sentence is idiomatic?

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say challenging of someone?

Usually no. After the adjective challenging, English normally uses for, not of.

Is challenging for always about people?

No. It can also describe activities or situations, such as challenging for travel or challenging for business.

What is another way to express the same idea?

You can also use difficult for, hard for, or demanding for depending on the context.

calm, in, calm, for, calm, about "candid about" or "candid in"? capable of or in? careful about, with, of, in or on? careless about, with, in, of or on? caribbean in, for, with, to or on? "catastrophic for" or "catastrophic to"? "cautious about" or "cautious in"? celtic in, for, on, at or to? central to, in, for, at or of? "certain of" or "certain about"? characteristic of, for, in or to?

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