: tending to overwhelm or intimidate
a daunting task
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
Also known as Mısır Çarşısı or the Egyptian Bazaar, this busy market is slightly less daunting and touristy than the Grand Bazaar next door.
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
Ending a beloved series can be a daunting task — see Game of Thrones or Lost — but much of the discourse around the Stranger Things finale doesn’t center on one colossal reveal.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 7 Jan. 2026
The path to the AFC title game is not overly daunting.
—Daniel Popper, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Inheriting a nation that was wrecked and regionally isolated by war, a younger Khamenei faced the daunting task of resurrecting his fractured economy and society.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for daunting
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
Ending a beloved series can be a daunting task — see Game of Thrones or Lost — but much of the discourse around the Stranger Things finale doesn’t center on one colossal reveal.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 7 Jan. 2026
The path to the AFC title game is not overly daunting.
—Daniel Popper, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Inheriting a nation that was wrecked and regionally isolated by war, a younger Khamenei faced the daunting task of resurrecting his fractured economy and society.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for daunting
Cite this Entry
“Daunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/daunting. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
daunting
adjective
daunt·ing
ˈdȯnt-iŋ 
: tending to overwhelm or intimidate
a daunting task
dauntingly
adverb
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