maintain a challenge

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "maintain a challenge" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the act of keeping a certain level of difficulty or competition in a situation or task. Example: "To ensure continuous improvement, we must maintain a challenge in our training programs."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

"In order to maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for we felt the only option was to make the change now," added the club statement.

The Guardian - Sport

Warrington will return to Wembley for a second consecutive Challenge Cup final next Saturday having proved that over the last 12 months they have made sufficient progress to maintain a challenge on two fronts.

The Guardian - Sport

Bale has helped Spurs reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League and maintain a challenge for a top-four place in the Premier League.

BBC

"The challenge for us is to come back next year a stronger and better side and one which can maintain a challenge at the top of the division for longer than we have done.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

United have endured a difficult campaign this season while City have been highly impressive in maintaining a challenge in four competitions.

Independent

That mark was the highest of the week so far, but the rapid greens could not hamper Fowler and Compton from maintaining a challenge on three under.

BBC

And Deila has challenged current Premiership leaders Aberdeen to prove they can maintain a title challenge.

BBC

The effect is to maintain a certain challenge to normative liberalism, but on rather different terms than before.

The Guardian - Opinion

Similar disagreements had flared over transfer policy, with Mourinho having been denied the centre-half he had thought was necessary to maintain a title challenge.

The Guardian - Sport

And this was a performance that will have increased Wenger and Arsenal's confidence that they can maintain a serious challenge this season.

BBC

Watford were unable to maintain a title challenge, but eventually finished the season second behind Liverpool, which ensured UEFA Cup qualification for the following season.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair "maintain a challenge" with specific actions or strategies that illustrate how the challenge is being upheld. For instance, "The company plans to maintain a challenge for its employees by introducing new projects quarterly."

Common error

Avoid using "maintain a challenge" when you actually mean "meet a challenge". The former implies sustaining an existing difficulty, while the latter refers to successfully overcoming a difficult task or obstacle.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "maintain a challenge" functions primarily as a verb phrase, where "maintain" is the main verb and "a challenge" is the object. It is used to describe the act of preserving or continuing a demanding or difficult situation. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "maintain a challenge" is grammatically sound and used to express the act of preserving a demanding situation. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. Its frequency is uncommon, primarily appearing in news and media and scientific contexts. Related phrases include "sustain a challenge" and "uphold a challenge". When writing, use it to emphasize the proactive effort to prevent decline or stagnation. Avoid mistaking it for "meet a challenge", which means overcoming a difficulty. While suitable for various contexts, its formality is largely determined by the surrounding vocabulary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sustain a challenge

Replaces "maintain" with "sustain", emphasizing the continuation of the challenge over a longer period.

uphold a challenge

Focuses on supporting and defending the challenge against potential decline or removal.

keep up a challenge

Uses a phrasal verb to convey the effort required to maintain the level of challenge.

continue a challenge

Simple substitution for "maintain", stressing the ongoing nature of the challenge.

preserve a challenge

Highlights the effort to prevent the challenge from diminishing or disappearing.

retain a challenge

Similar to preserve, but with a stronger implication of holding onto something already possessed.

ensure a challenge persists

A more verbose alternative, emphasizing the active steps taken to keep the challenge in place.

support a challenge

Similar meaning of holding up a challenge.

foster a challenge

Emphasis on nurturing a challenge.

cultivate a challenge

To create a new challenge.

FAQs

How can I use "maintain a challenge" in a sentence?

You can use "maintain a challenge" to describe the act of keeping something difficult or competitive. For example: "The coach worked hard to maintain a challenge for the team, pushing them to constantly improve."

What's the difference between "maintain a challenge" and "present a challenge"?

"Maintain a challenge" implies keeping a difficulty ongoing, whereas "present a challenge" means introducing a new difficulty. Maintaining suggests preservation, while presenting indicates initiation.

What can I say instead of "maintain a challenge"?

You can use alternatives like "sustain a challenge", "uphold a challenge", or "keep up a challenge" depending on the context.

Is "maintain a challenge" formal or informal?

The phrase "maintain a challenge" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and the overall tone of the communication.