: 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
The lineup is deeper and far more daunting than it’s been in years.
—
Zack Meisel, New York Times, 12 May 2026
The new commissioner faces the daunting task of improving the existing jail while planning for a world without it.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
This year, Novo has released Wegovy pens at higher doses and, crucially, launched an oral pill version in the United States with much success (pills are less daunting for many to take than injections).
—Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
Outliving your savings is a daunting fear, retirement experts say.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for daunting
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Zack Meisel, New York Times, 12 May 2026
The new commissioner faces the daunting task of improving the existing jail while planning for a world without it.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
This year, Novo has released Wegovy pens at higher doses and, crucially, launched an oral pill version in the United States with much success (pills are less daunting for many to take than injections).
—Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
Outliving your savings is a daunting fear, retirement experts say.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for daunting
Cite this Entry
“Daunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/daunting. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
daunting
adjective
daunt·ing
ˈdȯnt-iŋ 
: tending to overwhelm or intimidate
a daunting task
dauntingly
adverb
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