What does "daunting" mean?
gerund of daunt.; The act of discouraging or intimidating; discouragement, intimidation.
Daunting
/ˈdɔːntɪŋ/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: gerund of daunt.; The act of discouraging or intimidating; discouragement, intimidation.
- Grammar: daunting is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: intimidating, alarming, appalling, awesome.
- Useful contrasts: easy, embolden, encourage.
- Usage evidence: The challenges are daunting, but we can overcome them.
How to use "daunting"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "daunting" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "daunting" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "daunting" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "daunting" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "daunting" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "intimidating" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "daunting", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 gerund of daunt.; The act of discouraging or intimidating; discouragement, intimidation.
"Face to face with the true mountains, / I stood silently and still; / Drawing strength for fancy's dauntings, / From the air about the hill, / And from Nature's open mercies, and most debonaire goodwill."
- 2 gerund of daunt.; The act of defeating, overcoming, or overwhelming.
"Then came in two by two, other Troopes, whoſe onſets, and ouer-throwes, honours, and diſgraces, darings, and dauntings, merit an ample Chronicle, rather than an Abſtract; [...]"
Verb
- 1 present participle and gerund of daunt form-of, gerund, participle, present
Adjective
- 1 Discouraging; inspiring fear.
"Deathes daunting dart where so his buffet lights, / Shall shape no change within my friendly corse: / But dead or liue, in heauen, in earth, in hell, / I wilbe thine where so my carkase dwell."
- 2 Intimidatingly impressive; awe-inspiring, overwhelming.
"[W]iſdome, much more all the excellencies of this Spirit) makes a mans face to ſhine; as the light of a Lanterne puts a luſtre upon the Lanterne, ſo the brightneſſe of theſe ſpirits puts a luſtre upon the men in whom they are. Men of ſuch ſpirts^([sic – meaning ſpirits]) as theſe are, have a daunting preſence in the eyes of thoſe who behold them."
- 3 Appearing to be difficult; challenging.
"It was a daunting task, but it was accomplished with some forward planning."
Adjective
- 1 discouraging through fear wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"The challenges are daunting, but we can overcome them."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "daunting"?
Common synonyms include: intimidating, alarming, appalling, awesome, chilling, cow.
How do you use "daunting" in a sentence?
The challenges are daunting, but we can overcome them.
How do you pronounce "daunting"?
Pronounced /ˈdɔːntɪŋ/.
Etymology
From daunt + -ing.