as in frustrating
to lessen the courage or confidence of
the raging inferno didn't daunt the firefighters for a moment
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in discouraging
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of daunting
Justin Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
By then, Morrison had just published a second novel by Leon Forrest, whose debut, There Is a Tree More Ancient Than Eden, had been a daunting, and thrilling, foray into novel-editing for her, back at the start of the decade.
—Clint Smith, The Atlantic, 24 June 2025
Scott White, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
This means navigating legal, financial, and operational hurdles is daunting without expert guidance.
—Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for daunting
Verb
Still, shedding years of public perception is a daunting task for a sports apparel company and New Balance remains a relatively small player in a massive industry.
—Justin Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
By then, Morrison had just published a second novel by Leon Forrest, whose debut, There Is a Tree More Ancient Than Eden, had been a daunting, and thrilling, foray into novel-editing for her, back at the start of the decade.
—Clint Smith, The Atlantic, 24 June 2025
Adjective
For today's high school graduates, the path to true independence can seem daunting.
—Scott White, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
This means navigating legal, financial, and operational hurdles is daunting without expert guidance.
—Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for daunting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for daunting
Verb
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Actions by officials in the two countries are also discouraging Canadian tourists from looking south.—
Skyler Swisher,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Apr. 2025
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Good air circulation will allow leaves and stems to dry out, discouraging disease.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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To help out, the police send over a troubled (or troublesome?) detective, Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett).—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
27 June 2025
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According to Brennan, the most troublesome law enforcement officers were 5,000 men deputized by the U.S. marshal.—
Robert Loerzel,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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And developers who take on the spatial complexities of working with old architecture face a dismaying array of bureaucratic and financial challenges.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
27 June 2025
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And yet the industry is beset by a dismaying trend: More and more, people are watching movies on their laptops, tablets, and smartphones.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
21 Feb. 2014
Adjective
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Allegations against Combs are deeply troubling, extending far beyond sensationalized narratives of wild parties.—
Liz Roberts,
New York Daily News,
30 June 2025
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While an uptick in earnings is a good sign, the overall report is troubling, especially regarding employment.—
Rosa Escandon,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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The other shoe dropped with an unsettling thud recently when White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt openly gay-bashed in defense of her controversial boss.—
Louis Balsamo,
Baltimore Sun,
25 June 2025
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Some messages were sweet, others were steamy, and some were even unsettling.—
Cathy Hackl,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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Which isn’t to say that the film isn’t frightening.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2025
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The fumes are certainly easier to ignore or deny than the visceral, immediate violence of serial murder—which is much rarer, and yet, for many, much more frightening.—
Sarah Weinman,
The Atlantic,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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This is especially important, and worrisome, as Carney has been a longstanding supporter of pricing carbon at its social cost, somewhere between the Nordhaus and Stern recommended values.—
Hersh Shefrin,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
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Like worrisome termites, cockroaches have a job to do, breaking down organic matter in the natural world.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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The recent Norwegian movie Handling the Undead uses zombies as a profoundly upsetting exploration of grief.—
James Grebey,
Time,
20 June 2025
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An arson task force announced that the incident had nothing to do with Moore, upsetting Johnson.—
Alexis Okeowo,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Daunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daunting. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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