challenged

challenged
   differing from the norm in a taboo fashion
   Not faced with a duel, but of those thought to be facing life at a disadvantage. The use extends to the bald, who are follicularly challenged; to the deaf, who are aurally challenged; to the blind, who are visually challenged (and not by 'Halt! Who goes there?'); to the mentally ill, who are cerebrally challenged; to those of low intelligence who are developmentally or intellectually challenged; to a dwarf, who is vertically challenged; to a lame person, who is physically challenged; to a crook, who is ethically challenged (a phrase used on 18 June 1996 by the chairman of the committee investigating inter alia Hillary Clinton's deals in Arkansas); and so on.
    Here are Barry Pearson (right) and Tim Lyle, the follically-challenged duo who run the corporate management boutique. (Daily Telegraph, 1 November 1997)
   There was also the matter of the not inconsiderable number of intellectually challenged members of the Nazi party. (Burleigh, 2000, writing of compulsory sterilization programmes)
   There are also figurative uses. Thus to be parentally challenged is to be a nasty person, or bastard:
    They are mostly feckless, ill-informed and otherwise unemployable people. One or two are parentally challenged. {Daily Telegraph, 19 November 1993, quoting Howard Davies, who, as the Director of the Confederation of British Industry, was castigating journalists) etc.

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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  • challenged — established itself in the 1980s and 1990s as a combining element forming politically correct alternatives to potentially sensitive or offensive descriptions of people, as in cerebrally challenged (= stupid), intellectually challenged (= backward) …   Modern English usage

  • challenged — adj. 1. having doubts expressed about its truth. Syn: disputed, questioned. [WordNet 1.5] 2. handicapped or disabled; used as a euphemism, especially in combinations; as, physically challenged; mentally challenged. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • challenged — ☆ challenged [chal′ənjd] adj. disabled or handicapped in a (specified) way [physically challenged] …   English World dictionary

  • challenged — [[t]tʃæ̱lɪnʤd[/t]] ADJ: adv ADJ If you say that someone is challenged in a particular way, you mean that they have a disability in that area. Challenged is often combined with inappropriate words for humorous effect. ...terms like vertically… …   English dictionary

  • Challenged — Challenge Chal lenge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Challenged}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Challenging}.] [OE. chalengen to accuse, claim, OF. chalengier, chalongier, to claim, accuse, dispute, fr. L. calumniar to attack with false accusations. See {Challenge}, n …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • challenged — adjective a) Lacking some physical or mental attribute or skill; used after adverbs to make politically correct adjectives. mentally challenged b) Used following adverbs to make jocular adjectives in imitation of and mocking politically correct… …   Wiktionary

  • challenged — chal|lenged [ tʃælındʒd ] adjective * 1. ) unable to do particular things without difficulty because of being disabled in some way: visually challenged (=unable to see well) 2. ) HUMOROUS used with other words to mean that someone lacks a… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • challenged — UK [ˈtʃælɪndʒd] / US adjective 1) unable to do particular things without difficulty because of being disabled in some way visually challenged (= unable to see well) 2) humorous used with other words to mean that someone lacks a particular quality …   English dictionary

  • challenged — /chal injd/, adj. (used as a euphemism) disabled, handicapped, or deficient (usually prec. by an adverb): physically challenged; ethically challenged. [1980 85, Amer.] * * * …   Universalium

  • challenged — adjective 1》 euphemistic suffering from impairment or disability in a specified respect: physically challenged. 2》 humorous lacking or deficient in a specified respect: vertically challenged …   English new terms dictionary

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