daunt

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb daunt contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of daunt are appall, dismay, and horrify. While all these words mean "to unnerve or deter by arousing fear, apprehension, or aversion," daunt suggests a cowing, disheartening, or frightening in a venture requiring courage.

a cliff that would daunt the most intrepid climber

When could appall be used to replace daunt?

In some situations, the words appall and daunt are roughly equivalent. However, appall implies that one is faced with that which perturbs, confounds, or shocks.

I am appalled by your behavior

When is dismay a more appropriate choice than daunt?

While the synonyms dismay and daunt are close in meaning, dismay implies that one is disconcerted and at a loss as to how to deal with something.

dismayed at the size of the job

When might horrify be a better fit than daunt?

The words horrify and daunt are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, horrify stresses a reaction of horror or revulsion.

was horrified by such wanton cruelty

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of daunt Peterborough, however, will not be daunted by the challenge. Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025 One stretch of the golf course has been particularly daunting for him at Augusta. Justin Ray, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025 Michael Kim Michael Kim's relentless work ethic has paid off, securing his Masters spot after a daunting eight consecutive events. Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025 The daunting ascent up the shifting ship was nothing new for Captain Hallax, 73. Silvana Paternostro Nathalia Angarita, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for daunt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for daunt
Verb
  • While global finance institutions and investors have long been interested in diversifying to China, Beijing’s strict controls on capital outflows and relatively opaque system have discouraged large-scale buying of mainland China assets.
    Lee Ying Shan,Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 25 June 2025
  • Recent research found that 340B-eligible hospitals secured substantial profit margins on outpatient drugs and that the program discouraged biosimilar adoption, favoring expensive brand-name drugs with higher 340B profit margins.
    Ge Bai, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Retailers have sought to prevent theft without compromising the customer experience as traditional approaches such as locking up products can frustrate shoppers and have been found to lower sales.
    Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
  • And after reports surfaced that Boston had grown frustrated with the star slugger not conducting postgame TV interviews, Devers did exactly that in his first week in San Francisco.
    Sam Settleman, New York Times, 22 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Daunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daunt. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on daunt

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