daunt

verb

ˈdȯnt 

ˈdänt

daunted; daunting; daunts

transitive verb

: to lessen the courage of : cow, subdue

… obstacles that would have daunted a man of less intrepid mind …

—Adeline Adams

Synonyms of daunt

• discourage
• frustrate

Choose the Right Synonym for daunt

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

Recent Examples on the Web

No Guesswork Figuring out how to navigate this balancing act may seem daunting. — Tomas Gorny, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Taking on co-hosts Mexico on home turf in Mexico City would be a daunting prospect, but if England were to win, their quarter-final opponents would be one of Brazil, Japan, Ivory Coast or Norway. — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 27 June 2026

Continuing Disney’s legacy of telling magical stories was a bit daunting at first. — Marta Balaga, Variety, 26 June 2026

And as one first-time attendee pointed out early in the week, the huge wave of events, people and companies taking over the French seaside town for a few days feels daunting. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English daunten, borrowed from Anglo-French danter, daunter, going back to Latin domitāre "to subdue, bring under control," frequentative of domāre "to subdue, tame" — more at tame entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for daunt

• flaunt
• font
• gaunt
• haunt
• jaunt
• pont
• taunt
• vaunt
• want
• avant
• croissant
• detente

Kids Definition

daunt

verb

ˈdȯnt 

ˈdänt

: to lessen the courage of : make afraid