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

Analysts say Amazon’s reputation for reliable delivery and a forgiving return policy means it might be less daunting to buy high-price items on the company’s website than other marketplaces.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“It’s a little daunting at times, you know. I’ll be honest with you about it.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Ireland, however, must look forward to 2026, which begins with a daunting Six Nations visit to holders France on 5 February.

Read more on BBC

Even when the fixes are relatively easy, updating any part of your home to make it more energy-efficient can seem daunting.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

For the first seven interviews, he was denied legal advice and found the experience "very daunting".

Read more on BBC

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.