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

• chill
• demoralize
• discourage
• dishearten
• dismay
• dispirit
• frustrate
• unman
• unnerve

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

The head of the British head of state stood lower by at least a foot than that of her American counterpart; owing to her propensity for wearing broad-brimmed hats, the challenge of maintaining eye contact might have daunted even the most emotionally intelligent of statesmen. —Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024

If consumers overwhelmingly prefer to speak to a live person, this can prove to be daunting task for banks. —Gary Drenik, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024

Countries everywhere face daunting socioeconomic challenges. —Børge Brende, Foreign Affairs, 2 Jan. 2020

The team, just getting off the ground with initial seed funding, faces an uphill battle to strike a successful business model in Oakland — a city with daunting crime challenges and nearly abandoned by professional sports. —Alex Sherman, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French danter, daunter, from Latin domitare to tame, frequentative of domare — more at tame

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

daunt

verb

ˈdȯnt 

ˈdänt

: to lessen the courage of : make afraid