intimidating

1 of 2

adjective

in·​tim·​i·​dat·​ing in-ˈti-mə-ˌdā-tiŋ 

: 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

intimidating

2 of 2

present participle of intimidate

Synonyms of intimidating

Adjective

• terrifying
• frightening
• formidable
• scary
• horrible
• terrible

Examples of intimidating in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Adjective

An alarmed individual may coil its body and open its mouth in an attempt to appear more intimidating. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026

Heading to a farmers market for the first time can feel a little intimidating. — Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2026

The company blends the visual identity of the larger XSR family with modern entry-level components, shrinking the basic ingredients into a package that's easier to ride, cheaper to run, and far less intimidating. — New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2026

Art can make difficult conversations less intimidating by giving people something tangible to discuss, Corona said. — Donnisa Edmonds, jsonline.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1748, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for intimidating

• accelerating
• accentuating
• accommodating
• accumulating
• adjudicating
• administrating
• affiliating
• agglutinating
• alienating
• alleviating
• amalgamating
• ameliorating