daunting
Britishadjective
Other Word Forms
- dauntingly adverb
Explanation
Something daunting can scare you off. If you have a lot of studying to do, it may seem like a daunting task. Good news is you can get through it by working hard. Or weasel out of it by playing sick. Often used in the phrases “daunting prospect” and “daunting task,” daunting describes something that you are not looking forward to doing. Having to fill out complicated tax forms every year is a daunting task for many people. Once a daunting task is complete, you no longer describe it as daunting, but instead can call it a job well done, or at least another life experience survived.
Vocabulary lists containing daunting
The Alchemist
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 1
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Michelle Obama's final address as First Lady (2017)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Emma Challinor, who looks after them, said it is "sometimes a daunting responsibility", but "fascinating".
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
But it definitely was daunting — I think that was actually my first day on set, was a scene with her.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
It can be daunting for women to admit it was a mistake to buy into the tradwife lifestyle, especially after being warned by feminists of the risks.
From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026
He now finds himself facing a daunting new challenge: Helming one of the country’s top law firms in its throes of an identity crisis.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026
Since the federal budget that year was less than $7 million, the critics seem to be right when they conclude that the costs were not just daunting but also prohibitively expensive.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
