daunt
Make someone falter
To daunt is to intimidate or discourage through fear or difficulty.
A daunting task seems almost too hard to attempt.
The sheer scale of the project daunted even experienced climbers.
Someone undaunted remains courageous despite challenges: Undaunted by the criticism, she continued her research.
Instill fear to control
- cowFemale bovine
- overaweSubdue by inspiring dread
- browbeatIntimidate through pressure
- bullyHabitual intimidator
menace · threaten · unnerve · dismay · terrorize · domineer · strong-arm · coerce
Diminish someone's confidence
- disheartenCause to lose hope
- demoralizeDestroy confidence or resolve
- dispiritCause to lose hope
- dissuadeConvince not to
deflate · demotivate · dampen · undermine · sap · crush · defeat · deter
Lose momentum or steadiness
- waverHesitate or fluctuate
- hesitatePause in uncertainty
- shrinkDecrease in size
- recoilBackward force from discharge
balk · flinch · quail · cower · cringe · retreat · withdraw · blanch
Intense anticipatory fear
- trepidationFearful uncertainty
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
fright · alarm · foreboding · fearfulness · timidity · cowardice · panic · horror
Unable to intimidate
- intrepidResolutely without fear
- fearlessLacking any apprehension
- boldCourageous and daring
- braveShowing courage despite fear
courageous · valiant · unflinching · resolute · steadfast · plucky · doughty · stouthearted
Inspiring fear or respect
- insurmountableImpossible to overcome
- overwhelmingIntensely excessive in force
- monumentalExceptionally large or significant
- staggeringShockingly impressive or unsteady
immense · colossal · tremendous · prodigious · towering · forbidding · imposing · titanic
intimidate
Instill fear to control
bully · menace · threaten · unnerve · dismay · terrorize · domineer · strong-arm · coerce · pressure
discourage
Diminish someone's confidence
- disheartenCause to lose hope
- demoralizeDestroy confidence or resolve
- dispiritCause to lose hope
dissuade · deflate · demotivate · dampen · undermine · sap · crush · defeat · deter · shake
falter
Lose momentum or steadiness
recoil · balk · flinch · quail · cower · cringe · retreat · withdraw · blanch · pause
dread
Intense anticipatory fear
- trepidationFearful uncertainty
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
terror · fright · alarm · foreboding · fearfulness · timidity · cowardice · panic · horror · unease
dauntless
Unable to intimidate
brave · courageous · valiant · unflinching · resolute · steadfast · plucky · doughty · stouthearted · lionhearted
formidable
Inspiring fear or respect
- insurmountableImpossible to overcome
- overwhelmingIntensely excessive in force
- monumentalExceptionally large or significant
staggering · immense · colossal · tremendous · prodigious · towering · forbidding · imposing · titanic · mammoth
- discouraging actionsdeter, dissuade, dishearten, demoralize, dispirit
- mind gamesmind game, head game, head games, mind games, intimidation
- scare tacticsfrighten, terrify, intimidate, threaten, menace
- fear reactionsscream, scared, gasp, terrified, flinch