daunting

adjective

daunt·​ing ˈdȯn-tiŋ How to pronounce daunting (audio)
ˈdän-
Synonyms of dauntingnext
: tending to overwhelm or intimidate
a daunting task
dauntingly adverb

Examples of daunting in a Sentence

Few things are more daunting than having to speak in front of a large crowd. Shakespeare's plays can be daunting for a young reader.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Advertisement And making a regular habit of the practice—like scheduling a time once a month to digitally declutter—can help the task feel less daunting with time. Simmone Shah, Time, 28 Jan. 2026 There are a number of hurdles on the pathway to becoming a homeowner, but for many people, one of the first and particularly daunting challenges is the down payment. Becca Stanek, TheWeek, 28 Jan. 2026 Several New Jersey school districts are planning to welcome students back on Tuesday, but some places, like Jersey City, have been forced to cancel classes for a second day due to the clean-up after the snowstorm proving to be a daunting task. Andrew Ramos, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026 Defeating Houston will be a daunting task, as the Cougars have only lost five league games since joining the Big 12 in the 2023-24 season. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for daunting

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of daunt

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of daunting was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Daunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/daunting. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

daunting

adjective
daunt·​ing ˈdȯnt-iŋ How to pronounce daunting (audio)
: tending to overwhelm or intimidate
a daunting task
dauntingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on daunting

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!