daunting
DAWN-tihng
Daunting (adj) means making someone feel intimidated or discouraged because a task looks so difficult or big. Example: “Moving to a new country alone felt daunting at first.”
adj
1
Making someone feel intimidated or discouraged because a task looks so difficult or big.
"Moving to a new country alone felt daunting at first."
"The stack of paperwork looked daunting, but she got through it in an afternoon."
How to use daunting
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishIntimidating in a way that makes you want to put a task off — big, scary, or overwhelming to start.
Common pairings
a daunting task
find it daunting
a daunting challenge
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Word forms
- Plural
- dauntings
- Comparative
- more daunting
- Superlative
- most daunting
Fill the gap
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Moving to a new country alone felt _____ at first.
Etymology
Built from the verb "daunt" (to intimidate or discourage), which came into English via Old French from Latin domare, "to tame."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for daunting
See all rhymes for daunting →Frequently asked questions
What does “daunting” mean?
The word “daunting” means making someone feel intimidated or discouraged because a task looks so difficult or big. In plain terms, intimidating in a way that makes you want to put a task off — big, scary, or overwhelming to start.
How do you pronounce “daunting”?
“Daunting” is pronounced DAWN-tihng (/ˈdɔntɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “daunting” in a sentence?
Here is “daunting” used in a sentence: “Moving to a new country alone felt daunting at first.”
What part of speech is “daunting”?
“Daunting” is an adjective.
Where does the word “daunting” come from?
The word “daunting” comes from Latin. Built from the verb "daunt" (to intimidate or discourage), which came into English via Old French from Latin domare, "to tame.".
Is “daunting” a common word?
“Daunting” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
