daunting
/ˈdɔːntɪŋ/
Etymology
From daunt + -ing.
daunting means Discouraging; inspiring fear. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 75 out of 100.
adj
- Discouraging; inspiring fear.“Deathes daunting dart where so his buffet lights, / Shall shape no change within my friendly corse: / But dead or liue, in heauen, in earth, in hell, / I wilbe thine where so my carkase dwell.”
- Intimidatingly impressive; awe-inspiring, overwhelming.“[W]iſdome, much more all the excellencies of this Spirit) makes a mans face to ſhine; as the light of a Lanterne puts a luſtre upon the Lanterne, ſo the brightneſſe of theſe ſpirits puts a luſtre upon the men in whom they are. Men of ſuch ſpirts^([sic – meaning ſpirits]) as theſe are, have a daunting preſence in the eyes of thoſe who behold them.”
- Appearing to be difficult; challenging.“It was a daunting task, but it was accomplished with some forward planning.”
noun
- gerund of daunt.; The act of discouraging or intimidating; discouragement, intimidation.“Face to face with the true mountains, / I stood silently and still; / Drawing strength for fancy's dauntings, / From the air about the hill, / And from Nature's open mercies, and most debonaire goodwill.”
- gerund of daunt.; The act of defeating, overcoming, or overwhelming.“Then came in two by two, other Troopes, whoſe onſets, and ouer-throwes, honours, and diſgraces, darings, and dauntings, merit an ample Chronicle, rather than an Abſtract; [...]”