Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word from the options giv…

The correct answer is Option (1) → Although

Complete sentence: Although the task seemed daunting at first, the team managed to complete it within the stipulated time. "The task seemed daunting" is a full clause, and its contrast is that the team still finished on time, so although fits.

Option	Meaning and use	Example
(1) Although (answer)	Although is a conjunction: it joins a full clause (subject + verb) to the main clause and shows a contrast between them.	Although it was raining, the match went on.
(2) Inspite of	In spite of carries the same meaning but is a preposition: it is followed by a noun or an -ing form, not by a clause. The phrase is written as three words: in spite of. It is followed by a noun or an -ing form, not by a full clause such as "the task seemed daunting".	–
(3) Since	reason or time. A daunting task is not the reason why the team finished on time.	Since it was late, we took a taxi.
(4) Nonetheless	Nonetheless is an adverb meaning "in spite of that". It links two separate sentences and cannot begin a clause that depends on the main clause.	The task was hard; nonetheless, we finished it.

Contrast: "although" is followed by a clause (although it rained), "in spite of" by a noun or an -ing form (in spite of the rain).