# daunting

/ˈdɔntɪŋ/ (US) · /dˈɔːntɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/daunting
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. difficult and intimidating

adjective · CEFR B2

describing something that seems so difficult or big that it makes you feel nervous or less confident.

For teachers: describing a task or prospect that is intimidatingly large or complex, often causing apprehension.

- Starting a new job in a foreign country can be a daunting prospect at first.
- The climbers stood at the base of the mountain, staring up at the daunting vertical face they were expected to scale before nightfall.

Usage: Often used with nouns like 'task', 'prospect', 'challenge', or 'responsibility'.

Teaching tip: Learners 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.

## Examples

- The mountain looked daunting in the fog.
- Writing the thesis felt daunting until she broke it into small chapters.
- The sheer scale of the renovation project was daunting, yet the architect’s clear plan made the work feel manageable.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.