intimidating

adjective

in·​tim·​i·​dat·​ing in-ˈti-mə-ˌdā-tiŋ How to pronounce intimidating (audio)
: causing a loss of courage or self-confidence : producing feelings of fear or timidity
an intimidating snarl
a boss with a very intimidating manner
The Red Army athletes were the most intimidating of competitors.Ian Thomsen
First jobs are intimidating for everyone, but few people have to cope with the stresses of the workplace at such a tender age as ballet dancers do.Daphne Hurford
intimidatingly adverb
The ship was eerily, intimidatingly empty … Anthony Bourdain
… according to the architect Richard Rogers, [Daniel] Libeskind's work isn't just formally arresting—it is intimidatingly smart. Jason Cowley

Examples of intimidating in a Sentence

the school's seniors faced the intimidating prospect of the college entrance exams an intimidating bodyguard keeping the fans away from the pop star
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hristo Stoichkov played with an intimidating edge that could both win games and cross an unforgivable line. Simon Hughes, New York Times, 7 June 2025 Judith Collins, the committee chair, said the lawmakers’ behavior was egregious, disruptive, and potentially intimidating. Charlotte Graham-McLay, Christian Science Monitor, 5 June 2025 And for users who are new to the space, the idea of trusting totally unknown algorithms can feel more intimidating than empowering. Charles Wayn, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025 That was the most intimidating part of the process for me. Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for intimidating

Word History

First Known Use

1748, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of intimidating was in 1748

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Cite this Entry

“Intimidating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intimidating. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.

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