The Meaning of Dauntless: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know the definition of dauntless? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word dauntless, including its definition, etymology, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What does the word dauntless mean?

According to the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language as well as dictionaries like American Heritage and Collins English Dictionary, the word dauntless is an adjective that means incapable of being subdued or intimidated. The pronunciation of dauntless is ˈdɑnt-less.

Many different languages also contain words that mean dauntless. You may notice that some of these words look and sound similar to one another. These are called cognates, which are words in different languages that look, sound, and mean similar things. These are often formed when two words have the same language of origin such as Latin or Greek. This list of translations of dauntless is provided by Word Sense.

  •  Polish: nieustraszony‎ (masc.)
  •  Turkish: yılmaz‎
  •  German: unerschrocken‎, furchtlos‎
  •  Spanish: impertérrito‎
  •  Serbo-Croatian: neustrašiv‎, неустрашив‎
  •  Czech: neohrožený‎, nebojácný‎
  •  Finnish: peloton‎, huimapäinen‎
  •  Bulgarian: неустрашим‎

What is the origin of the word dauntless?

According to Etymonline, the word dauntless has been used since the 1590s. This comes from the verb daunt, an early 14th century word that comes from the Old French danter and Old French donter, a 12th century word that is the equivalent of the Modern French dompter. This comes from the Latin dominare, the frequentative of domare, a Latin verb meaning to tame. One can add the suffix ly to make the related word dauntlessly, an adverb as well as daunted and daunting.

What are synonyms and antonyms for the word dauntless?

There are many different words that have the same meaning as the word dauntless. These are called synonyms, which are a great way to avoid repeating yourself and expand your English language vocabulary. This list of synonyms for the word dauntless is provided by Thesaurus

  •  indomitable
  •  game
  •  lionhearted
  •  stouthearted
  •  heroic
  •  intrepid
  •  doughty
  •  brave
  •  bold
  •  courageous
  •  undaunted
  •  unfearing
  •  gallant
  •  invincible
  •  fearless
  •  unflinching
  •  resolute
  •  valorous
  •  aweless
  •  valiant
  •  unafraid
  •  unconquerable
  •  daring

There are also numerous different words that mean the opposite of the word dauntless. These opposite words are called antonyms, which are another quick and easy way to expand your English language vocabulary. This list of antonyms is also provided by Thesaurus.

  •  perplexed
  •  daunted
  •  aghast
  •  spooked
  •  terror-stricken
  •  shocked
  •  alarmed
  •  faint-hearted
  •  intimidated
  •  distressed
  •  upset
  •  in awe
  •  perturbed
  •  trembling
  •  terrified
  •  frozen
  •  anxious
  •  apprehensive
  •  have cold feet
  •  disheartened
  •  horrified
  •  blanched
  •  stunned
  •  afraid
  •  fearful
  •  discouraged
  •  run scared
  •  timorous
  •  rattled
  •  scared stiff
  •  panic-stricken
  •  nervous
  •  scared to death
  •  cowed
  •  worried
  •  aroused
  •  petrified
  •  startled
  •  scared
  •  disturbed
  •  timid
  •  dismayed
  •  cowardly
  •  abashed
  •  suspicious
  •  frightened 

How can the word dauntless be used in a sentence?

There are many different ways that the word dauntless can be used in a sentence. Below are many examples of dauntless (adj.).

In spite of the bombs and intimidation that they faced, the fleet bomber of early World War II showed dauntless courage and an unvarying attitude throughout the ordeal. This was met with admiration from photographers, fearless reporters, and the general public in the United States. The crew even received an award that honors their personal courage, dauntless independence and gallant self-sacrifice in these extraordinary circumstances. Who knew that men from such ordinary lives could be the heroes of this narrative, with the bravery of a lion.

Young Mortier has a burning enthusiasm for skates, and is always impressed by the success the obstinate determination and idea of dauntless courage the skateboarders have yields.

Despite the time of confusion, the intrepid pioneers and sailors on the vessel showed complete indifference to the murky waters ahead, and the audacious explorers forged on with amity, candor, and dauntless courage.

The inappropriate image and inappropriate comment that the man posted on the website was anything but dauntless. He hid behind a screen name and this anti-heroic stance made him both a creep and a coward.

The dauntless woman was covered in piercings and tattoos of her own illustrations. These specific signs made her a target for ridicule, but her radical spiritual individualism meant she didn’t care.

While the major meals of a day may seem standard for some, for patients recovering from an eating disorder, creating a new list of snacks outside of their own lists of comfort foods requires the strength of a dauntless spirit for daily usage.

Running a company requires competence, dauntless leadership, and the willingness to provide a message of hope to defeat the odds with a visionary sense of mission. This wisdom will lead to a successful business.

After months of dauntless determination, the crew finally finished the documentary. It required navigating bayonets, foreign chieftainship, wild ponies, and even a wild disorder and illness of the last leg of the hike. However, they completed the film and had a celebration of their dauntless spirit.

The image of dauntless police officers stuck in her mind during the demonstration. She watched the flags fly overhead and realized how much her opinion had changed over the years. She was now the specimen of their dauntless activities, but did not know if it would end with such lethal effect as she had seen.

The dauntless developers knew that they would be able to complete cultivation so livestock could live in freedom by the airport.

The gymnast was a dauntless competitor on trampoline and vaulting horse, but when it came to the floor routine, he was fearsome.

Despite the esteemed traditions of military service in his family, the sovereign statesman decided not to join the army. They felt this was the opposite of dauntless, and put shame on the national symbol of Bulgaria. He decided to do the right tasks for him, and start a successful doggie daycare called Rover. This did not improve his family’s hostile position.

Overall, the word dauntless means fearless or incapable of being subdued or intimidated. This word is of Latin origin. 

Sources:

  1. DAUNTLESS Synonyms: 30 Synonyms & Antonyms for DAUNTLESS | Thesaurus 
  2. AFRAID Synonyms: 92 Synonyms & Antonyms for AFRAID | Thesaurus 
  3. dauntless | Origin and meaning of dauntless | Online Etymology Dictionary 
  4. Dauntless | Definition of Dauntless | Merriam-Webster 
  5. Dauntless | Meaning, Origin, Translation | Word Sense