challenging stance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "challenging stance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a position or viewpoint that is difficult or provocative, often in a debate or discussion context. Example: "The author takes a challenging stance on the issue of climate change, arguing against widely accepted beliefs."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The sergeant swore and again shouted several times for the soldier to come back, but the soldier continued to peer toward the cluster of houses, holding his gun ready, in a challenging stance, as though there still might he something threatening there.

The New Yorker

Our results also show that increasing the difficulty of the postural task does not necessarily magnify differences between controls and participants in the bipolar disorder group insofar as there were no significant post-hoc group differences (p>0.05) in the most challenging stance and vision conditions (i.e., the eyes-closed and closed-base position).

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

If he endorses the Senate report, he will be criticizing the many C.I.A. officers who worked on the program and challenging the stance of former directors, notably George J. Tenet, who oversaw the brutal interrogations, and Michael V. Hayden, who has fervently defended them.

The New York Times

In addition, given the potential challenges to Asian students in terms of 'face' (e.g. Brown and Levinson, 1987) in classroom settings, shifting certain collaborative activities to an online format potentially relieves the pressure on students when producing L2 content or challenging the stance of others in student-student or student-teacher interactions.

Language Testing in Asia

Mr Cole aims to challenge that stance, claiming public interest.

Independent

Governments may then feel obliged either to challenge that stance, or to offset it with fiscal relaxation.

The Economist

His therapist had never challenged his stance, but had reinforced it with years of unquestioning empathy and understanding.

The New York Times - Health

Local authorities may argue that existing provision is not part of the new statutory minimum, whereas providers and charities will challenge this stance.

The Guardian

Several state governments and environmental groups successfully challenged that stance before the US supreme court, but the Bush administration has postponed action until the next president arrives.

The Guardian

Carter-Ruck withdrew its gagging attempt by lunchtime, shortly before a 2pm high court hearing at which the Guardian was about to challenge its stance, with the backing of other national newspapers.

The Guardian

When NFL owners challenged his stance, he responded with truth.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "challenging stance" to describe a position that requires effort to defend or understand. For example, "The economist presented a challenging stance on fiscal policy, requiring a deep understanding of macroeconomics."

Common error

Avoid using "challenging stance" when a simpler term like "difficult position" or "complex view" would suffice. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound unnecessarily verbose.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "challenging stance" functions as a noun phrase, where 'challenging' acts as an adjective modifying the noun 'stance'. It describes a position or viewpoint that is difficult, provocative, or requires significant effort to defend or understand. Ludwig examples show it often refers to political or ethical positions.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "challenging stance" describes a position that is difficult, provocative, or requires significant effort to defend or understand. While grammatically correct and usable according to Ludwig, it is a relatively rare expression, primarily found in news and scientific contexts. Alternative phrases like "demanding position" or "provocative attitude" can be used depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey. Remember to use "challenging stance" when you want to emphasize the difficulty or complexity of a particular viewpoint. Avoid overuse in simpler contexts to maintain clarity and conciseness in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

demanding position

Replaces 'challenging' with 'demanding', focusing on the difficulty implied in the stance.

provocative attitude

Substitutes 'stance' with 'attitude', emphasizing the contentious nature of the position.

difficult viewpoint

Replaces both words with synonyms that focus on the intellectual aspect of holding a differing opinion.

contentious posture

Emphasizes the conflict inherent in taking such a stance, using more formal vocabulary.

aggressive posture

Shifts the focus to a more confrontational approach, implying a readiness to argue or defend the position.

uncompromising position

Highlights the inflexibility of the stance, suggesting resistance to change or negotiation.

bold assertion

Replaces stance with assertion, highlighting the confident and possibly audacious nature of the statement.

audacious claim

Focuses on the riskiness and daring nature of the position being taken.

radical perspective

Implies a departure from conventional wisdom or established norms.

firm conviction

Emphasizes the strength of belief behind the stance, suggesting a deeply held personal principle.

FAQs

How can I use "challenging stance" in a sentence?

You can use "challenging stance" to describe a viewpoint or position that is difficult to defend or agree with. For example: "The politician adopted a "challenging stance" on immigration reform, facing criticism from both sides of the aisle."

What's a good alternative to "challenging stance"?

Depending on the context, you could use "demanding position", "provocative attitude", or "difficult viewpoint".

Is "challenging stance" formal or informal?

"Challenging stance" is suitable for formal and neutral contexts, like news articles and academic papers, but might be too formal for casual conversation.

What makes a stance "challenging"?

A stance can be "challenging" because it opposes widely accepted beliefs, requires significant evidence to support, or is difficult to implement.