dismay, appall, horrify, daunt mean to unnerve or deter by arousing fear, apprehension, or aversion.
dismay implies that one is disconcerted and at a loss as to how to deal with something.
dismayed at the size of the job
appall implies that one is faced with that which perturbs, confounds, or shocks.
I am appalled by your behavior
horrify stresses a reaction of horror or revulsion.
was horrified by such wanton cruelty
daunt suggests a cowing, disheartening, or frightening in a venture requiring courage.
a cliff that would daunt the most intrepid climber
Examples of daunt in a Sentence
the raging inferno didn't daunt the firefighters for a moment
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Gone is the insurance of daunting rim protectors like Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025 Even after a potential ceasefire, the task of rebuilding will be daunting and could take decades.—Emily Feng, NPR, 7 Oct. 2025 Lest that sound daunting, the three, who bonded over the summer while workshopping the show with the creative team, don’t seem worried.—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 2 Oct. 2025 While a 12-hour surgery may seem daunting, Arenas put it all in perspective.—Cathy Kozlowicz, jsonline.com, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for daunt
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French danter, daunter, from Latin domitare to tame, frequentative of domare — more at tame
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