as in discouraging
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Dissimilar Words
as in frustrating
to lessen the courage or confidence of
the raging inferno didn't daunt the firefighters for a moment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of daunting
Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 14 June 2026
Both of these novels center on a single character who is faced with the daunting task of survival, but the stakes are even higher in Project Hail Mary.
—Esther K. Choy, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 15 June 2026
The Knicks were up three games to one against an aging, but still daunting, Los Angeles Lakers team.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for daunting
Adjective
But Australia and Turkey appear to be more daunting for different reasons.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 14 June 2026
Both of these novels center on a single character who is faced with the daunting task of survival, but the stakes are even higher in Project Hail Mary.
—Esther K. Choy, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
Verb
The idea of moving this mattress ever again feels…daunting.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 15 June 2026
The Knicks were up three games to one against an aging, but still daunting, Los Angeles Lakers team.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for daunting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for daunting
Adjective
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Still, this was a discouraging result for anyone wearing yellow in Kansas City.—
Kellis Robinett,
Kansas City Star,
21 June 2026
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The Chicago Blackhawks needed plenty after a discouraging 2024-25 season.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
Verb
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The documentary’s contradiction is right there, enthralling us with the wild achievements Potter pulled off and frustrating us with his bombast, leading us to ponder whether, as The Dark Wizard suggests, either could exist without the other.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
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Mack and the Chargers’ defense pressured quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, frustrating them and keeping them out of their comfort zones.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
20 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The covenant — including troublesome terms like those born on the island being unable to leave on pain of death — only ends when Warren’s bloodline does, too.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
17 June 2026
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Assess Your Home’s Ductwork While some low-effort quick fixes can help, Anthony Smith, director at Midland Air Conditioning, thinks troublesome airflow might come from your home’s ductwork.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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Some recent comments from longtime Voicers have been especially dismaying.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 June 2026
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And in the worst cases — a scenario that plays out with dismaying regularity — the executive who championed the project has moved on to another job entirely.—
George Heller,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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In the finale, Matthew’s scenes with K Callan, who plays Ruth, are really disconcerting.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
18 June 2026
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Bari Weiss directed the housecleaning at the newsmagazine last week, and Nick Bilton signed the letter telling Scott Pelley he was fired on Tuesday night, but the Paramount CEO owns the decisions and the disconcerting fallout.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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Though 2025 was a disappointing five-loss campaign that opened with a disheartening 34-7 defeat at USF and ended in similar fashion (38-10) against Washington in the LA Bowl, Spencer Danielson’s Broncos nonetheless won another Mountain West title.—
Tom Layberger,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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Drying Your Nails At Home There is nothing more disheartening than taking time to paint your nails at home only to smudge them minutes later.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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The exits of the two men, who both identify as gay, will also mark a dispiriting step backward for LGBTQ+ representation in the C‑suite.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
20 June 2026
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And so that’s the dispiriting, disquieting aspect of the story.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The trio also acknowledged how demoralizing and disheartening the recent spate of firings, and the lack of explanation for them, has been.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
11 June 2026
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No question, the end of the season was deflating and demoralizing.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Daunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daunting. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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