1. To make someone feel anxious, intimidated, or discouraged: When entering the haunted house, little Timmy was daunted by the scary images and old spiderwebs in the shadows that fell against the walls, and he felt a lot less courageous although he was with his big brother.
2. To make a person feel slightly frightened or worried about the ability to achieve something: After listening to all the performers in the recital, Jill felt quite daunted at playing her piece on the piano in front of all the others in the audience.
3. Etymology: from Old French danter, a form of donter, from Latin domitare, domare, "to tame, to subdue, to vanquish, to conquer"; literally, "to accustom to the house", from domus, "house".

1. Referring to something that is discouraging with the fear of failure: Bringing the war to an end is a daunting task.
2. Relating to the state of being depressed, intimidated, demoralized, or frightened: The fact that she was newly divorced was especially daunting to Mrs. Evens who had two little children to take care of.