na-adjective
challenging; defiant; provocative
Describes an attitude, remark, or action that deliberately challenges or provokes someone, often with a confrontational or bold tone.
彼の挑戦的な態度に、周りは驚いた。
People around him were surprised by his defiant attitude.
その選手
The athlete drew attention with his provocative remarks.
反抗的 emphasizes rebellion against authority, whereas 挑戦的 is broader, covering provocative or confrontational behavior without necessarily implying rebellion.
Formed from 挑戦 (challenge) + the adjectival suffix 的 (-like, -ive). The exact historical derivation is straightforward; the word follows a common pattern for creating adjectival nouns from Sino-Japanese compounds.