desafío

challenge

noun deh-sah-FEE-oh Less Common

Also means

defiance

Usage Note

Desafío carries a sense of confrontation or dare, slightly stronger than reto (which is more neutral). In modern usage both overlap freely, but desafío can also imply defying an authority or convention (un desafío a las normas). The verb is desafiar, and the accent on the í is essential to mark the hiatus: de-sa-FÍ-o, not a diphthong.

Examples

"Superar ese examen fue un gran desafío."

Natural Translation

Passing that exam was a great challenge.

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