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 WebBut though engineers planning spacecraft missions have used a myriad of mathematical tools, in recent decades they’ve been daunted by the increasing abstraction of symplectic geometry.—Quanta Magazine, 15 Apr. 2024 Lesser prosecutors would have been daunted by the prospect of creating a national melodrama and a norm-breaking prosecution of a former president over what is, in essence, a misdemeanor business-records charge.—Rich Lowry, National Review, 15 Apr. 2024 The software is in a pilot phase, and Samaraweera said the path ahead remains daunting now that a seemingly endless tide of money that once flooded into Silicon Valley has dwindled.—Brian Cheung, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024 Researching schools may seem daunting with all those options, but there are several places to look for basic information and helpful details.—The Arizona Republic, 2 Jan. 2024 Will moviegoers be daunted by eight hours of John, Paul, George and Ringo on the big screen?—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, leaders in Kyiv are trying to find a new path forward amid ferocious Russian assaults, while facing a series of daunting unknowns and hard choices.—Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024 Consequently, foster youth face daunting odds compared to their peers, experiencing higher rates of mental health issues, academic struggles, behavioral challenges and delinquency.—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024 Those conclusions highlight a reality that has daunted many presidential administrations, as the lure of American opportunity draws waves of migrants at a scale that overwhelms the limited legal pathways to allow them in.—USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'daunt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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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