adj C1 Advanced Uncommon

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

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 notes

In 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

Word forms

more daunting comparative, dauntings plural, most daunting superlative

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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."

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for daunting

bunting hunting mounting counting haunting taunting grunting flaunting accounting

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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.