as in discouraging
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Dissimilar Words
as in frustrating
to lessen the courage or confidence of
the raging inferno didn't daunt the firefighters for a moment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of daunting
Seth Borenstein, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
Francisco parred the final hole — a daunting 397-yard par-4 — to cap a 3-under 67 at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Harvard Business Review, 22 Apr. 2026
In every case, Bacon said, the uncertainty can make even small decisions feel daunting.
—Panashe Matemba-Mutasa, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for daunting
Adjective
Across the world, groups of activists, teachers and psychologists are tackling one of the planet’s most daunting problems with laughter, dancing, hugs and most especially joy.
—Seth Borenstein, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
Francisco parred the final hole — a daunting 397-yard par-4 — to cap a 3-under 67 at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Verb
The steps to transition from individual contributor to leader can seem daunting, especially when so many aspects of work and the world are in a constant state of flux.
—Harvard Business Review, 22 Apr. 2026
In every case, Bacon said, the uncertainty can make even small decisions feel daunting.
—Panashe Matemba-Mutasa, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for daunting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for daunting
Adjective
-
And the results are downright discouraging.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
12 Apr. 2026
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But the growth was slightly slower than economists expected, and a measure of prices accelerated at its fastest pace since 2022 in a potentially discouraging signal for inflation.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mack and the Chargers’ defense pressured quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, frustrating them and keeping them out of their comfort zones.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
20 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Negative campaigning is nothing new, but Conway’s latest tactics are particularly troublesome.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Food waste is heavy and troublesome for landfills but can be beneficially composted.—
Mike Ryan,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The keenness of my letdown was dismaying.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
But there’s another side to this story, equally dismaying, which is the abandonment of dissidents as a public cause in the West.—
Bret Stephens,
Mercury News,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Other content, however, could be so disconcerting that it is assumed never to produce meaningful debate, and news outlets (and other platforms) need to make difficult decisions on how to identify and remove such content.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 Apr. 2026
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There are plenty of inconveniences frequent air travelers have become accustomed to, from long security lines to shrinking overhead storage bins, but few are as disconcerting as heavy turbulence in flight.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Transplant Shock is Avoidable Inviting the opportunity for transplant shock has got to be one of the most disheartening gardening mistakes out there.—
Tessa Cooper,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Sure, the Longhorns (21-15, 9-9) endured an up-and-down regular season and suffered a disheartening loss to Ole Miss in the first round of the SEC Tournament.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And so that’s the dispiriting, disquieting aspect of the story.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
9 Apr. 2026
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That opened the door for Ramon Laureano to deliver the knockout blow in the form of an RBI single to left, ultimately handing the Red Sox a dispiriting 3-2 loss.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Other times, the long wait for permanent housing proves demoralizing.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
-
By the time Ambassador Martin authorized an evacuation, the only way out—since Martin had vetoed a proposal to put refugees on freighters and take them down the Saigon River to the coast (too demoralizing a spectacle)—was by helicopter.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Daunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daunting. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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