daunted

Definition

Adjective: 1. Feeling intimidated, discouraged, or disheartened: The state of being made to feel apprehensive, less confident, or fearful by something challenging, threatening, or overwhelming. 2. Caused to show discomposure: Made to lose one's calmness or self-possession; unsettled or perturbed.

Usage

The adjective daunted describes a person's emotional state after encountering something daunting. It is often used with forms of the verb "to be" (e.g., am, is, are, was, were, feel, felt) or "to become." * It typically describes a temporary feeling in response to a specific situation, not a permanent personality trait. * It is commonly followed by the preposition "by" to introduce the cause of the feeling.

Examples

Feeling intimidated or discouraged:
- She was initially daunted by the size of the task, but she started working on it step by step.
- Many new students feel daunted on their first day at a large university.
- He refused to be daunted by the long list of requirements.
Caused to show discomposure:
- The panel of experts was visibly daunted by the aggressive questioning from the audience.
- Not easily daunted, the seasoned journalist continued her investigation despite the threats.

Advanced Usage

"Nothing daunted": This phrase is used to describe someone who proceeds with courage and determination despite facing intimidating circumstances. It functions as an adverbial phrase.
- The climbers, nothing daunted by the storm, continued their ascent.

Variants and Related Words

Daunt (verb): To make someone feel intimidated or apprehensive.
- The high cost did not daunt them.
Daunting (adjective): Intimidating or discouraging through being impressively large, severe, or difficult.
- Moving to a new country is a daunting prospect.
Undaunted** (adjective): Not intimidated or discouraged by difficulty, danger, or disappointment.
- She remained undaunted by the criticism.