daunt

[dawnt, dahnt]

verb (used with object)

1. to overcome with fear; intimidate.

   to daunt one's adversaries.

   Synonyms: frighten, dismay, subdue, overawe

2. to lessen the courage of; dishearten.

   Don't be daunted by the amount of work still to be done.

   Synonyms: dispirit, discourage
   Antonyms: encourage

daunt

/ dɔːnt /

verb

1. to intimidate

2. to dishearten

Other Word Forms

• dauntingly adverb
• dauntingness noun
• undaunting adjective
• daunter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of daunt¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English da(u)nten, from Anglo-French da(u)nter, Old French danter, alteration of donter (probably by influence of dangier “power, authority”; danger ), from Latin domitāre “to tame,” derivative of domitus “tamed,” past participle of domāre “to tame”

Word History and Origins

Origin of daunt¹

C13: from Old French danter, changed from donter to conquer, from Latin domitāre to tame

Example Sentences

The challenge was so daunting that in 2001, Nike launched the Oregon Project, a running group designed to restore American middle- and long-distance running.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

"It is daunting because I love being active and embracing life, whether it's on the rugby pitch, watching the kids, whatever it is," he said.

Read more on BBC

Seven straight wins came over seven weeks, so now they are on a two-week break to prepare for the daunting task of facing three good Alpha League opponents — Edison at SoFi Stadium on Oct.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The European team could suss out the lay of the land at Bethpage Black - a daunting course which has hosted major championships - and work out the all-important partnerships.

Read more on BBC

Working with yeast can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be with the right guidance.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• baffle 
• deter 
• discourage 
• dishearten 
• dismay 
• dispirit 
• horrify 
• intimidate 
• scare 
• subdue 
• terrify 

When To Use

What does daunt mean?

Daunt means to intimidate.This intimidation can be a pretty serious fear, like that of a warrior who daunts enemies in battle. More commonly, though, daunt means to intimidate in a way that’s disheartening, like a task that daunts you because it seems impossible.People who are intimidated in such a way can be described with the adjective daunted. An even more commonly used adjective is daunting, which comes from the continuous tense (the -ing form) of daunt. If a task is daunting, it’s intimidating or overwhelming in a way that makes you not even want to try to do it.Example: When I first started at this job, I was really daunted by my first assignment, which was reorganizing 10 years’ worth of files.