as in discouraging
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Dissimilar Words
as in frustrating
to lessen the courage or confidence of
the raging inferno didn't daunt the firefighters for a moment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of daunting
Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Recreating the worlds of film noir for a big budget superhero show would have been a daunting enough task, but the crew received another challenge when it was decided that the show would stream in both black-and-white and color.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 10 June 2026
Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
Sure, four steps may sound daunting, but the magic polish dries so quickly that the full regimen takes a fraction of the time of traditional polish.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for daunting
Adjective
The loser will likely face a daunting path to the semifinals.
—Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Recreating the worlds of film noir for a big budget superhero show would have been a daunting enough task, but the crew received another challenge when it was decided that the show would stream in both black-and-white and color.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 10 June 2026
Verb
As ballot returns continue to trickle in after Tuesday’s primary for governor, Democrat Tom Steyer faces daunting math to reach the general election.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
Sure, four steps may sound daunting, but the magic polish dries so quickly that the full regimen takes a fraction of the time of traditional polish.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for daunting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for daunting
Adjective
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My professor wasn’t the first person to deliver such discouraging news.—
Celine Nguyen,
The Atlantic,
24 June 2025
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The news is mostly discouraging.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
23 June 2025
Verb
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The documentary’s contradiction is right there, enthralling us with the wild achievements Potter pulled off and frustrating us with his bombast, leading us to ponder whether, as The Dark Wizard suggests, either could exist without the other.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
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Mack and the Chargers’ defense pressured quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, frustrating them and keeping them out of their comfort zones.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
20 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Recalls aren't a surefire sign of reliability issues, though transmission or powertrain problems that are highlighted in a recall could turn out to be troublesome for long-term ownership.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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The motel is also the target of a Fort Worth Code Compliance crackdown aimed at cleaning up troublesome properties in the city.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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And in the worst cases — a scenario that plays out with dismaying regularity — the executive who championed the project has moved on to another job entirely.—
George Heller,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
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But there’s another side to this story, equally dismaying, which is the abandonment of dissidents as a public cause in the West.—
Bret Stephens,
Mercury News,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Among them are Bobrov, who’s the Canadiens’ co-director of amateur scouting, and Jim Ramsay, the head trainer who spent 28 seasons with the Rangers and whose surprising 2023 dismissal proved disconcerting for several veteran players.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
5 May 2026
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That is really, really, really disconcerting.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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For those dealing with the disheartening struggles of infertility, this is good news.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
29 Oct. 2025
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At the end of the day, the result was a bit disheartening.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Quiet time to reflect on the latest dispiriting mess he’s inflicted on the world?—
Chop Choppish Shop,
Air Mail,
21 Mar. 2026
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Others displays have felt more dispiriting.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The trio also acknowledged how demoralizing and disheartening the recent spate of firings, and the lack of explanation for them, has been.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
11 June 2026
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Smith took over the Kings on March 1 on an interim basis after Jim Hiller was fired, with Holland citing consecutive demoralizing losses to the Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers during a homestand after the Olympic break as a factor in his decision.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Daunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daunting. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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