Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
metabolically challenged

metabolically challenged

1 8.3
A person who has problems using food for energy, affecting health or weight
  • adjective
  • Informal
: con dificultades metabólicas
  • The doctor explained that certain medications could make patients more metabolically challenged.

Examples

  • She feels metabolically challenged due to her thyroid condition.

  • Some people who are metabolically challenged need extra support to manage their weight effectively.

  • After being diagnosed as metabolically challenged, he began following a specialized nutrition plan.

  • Many people who are metabolically challenged struggle to lose weight.

  • Due to her metabolically challenged condition, she struggles to maintain a healthy weight.

  • Many metabolically challenged individuals find it difficult to lose weight despite following strict diets.

  • He was advised to consult a nutritionist since he is metabolically challenged and needs a tailored meal plan.

Surface Forms

metabolically challenged positive

Morphology

metabolically + challenged

The phrase is a straightforward composition: 'metabolically' (relating to metabolism) modifies 'challenged' (having difficulties), so the meaning 'having metabolic difficulties' is directly derivable from the parts. There is no idiomatic shift or metaphorical extension here, so a learner who knows both constituents can predict the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Metabolically challenged is a polite phrase that says someone has trouble with their metabolism. It pairs metabolic (how the body uses energy) with challenged (a gentle way to say 'has difficulty'), so it helps you remember it means 'problems with health or weight' linked to metabolism.