sfida

Sfida is an Italian noun meaning challenge, contest, or duel. It denotes a test of abilities or resolve issued by one party toward another, or the act of competing in a difficult endeavour. The term is widely used in sports to describe a match between teams or individuals, and in everyday language to describe any form of challenge, from a difficult task to a dare. The related verb sfidare means to challenge or to defy; lanciare una sfida means to issue a challenge. The plural sfide refers to multiple challenges or duels.

Common contexts include sports, games, and competitions (la sfida tra due squadre), as well as metaphorical battles such as sfide tecnologiche, sfide economiche, and sfide sociali, plus personal development (affrontare le sfide della vita). In narrative and journalism, sfida can frame conflict as a test of skill or character and is often used to describe significant obstacles or tests of resilience.

Etymology: sfida derives from the verb sfidare, reflecting the action of challenging someone or something; the noun conveys the result or act of that challenge.

Pronunciation: sfida is pronounced [ˈsfida].