daunting
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
describing something that seems so difficult or big that it makes you feel nervous or less confident.
describing a task or prospect that is intimidatingly large or complex, often causing apprehension.
Simple“Starting a new job in a foreign country can be a daunting prospect at first.”
In context“The climbers stood at the base of the mountain, staring up at the daunting vertical face they were expected to scale before nightfall.”
UsageOften used with nouns like 'task', 'prospect', 'challenge', or 'responsibility'.
Teacher's tipLearners often confuse this with 'scary'. While it involves fear, it specifically refers to the fear of failing at a difficult job or being overwhelmed by a big project.
Antonyms
“Next is a daunting trip to Manchester City, before they host Brighton, who began the season with a 4-0 trouncing of Aston Villa .”
“Here, including the daunting high-speed, downhill Turn Seven known as Scheivlak, Norris was fastest, 0.28secs quicker than Russell.”