intimidating

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

Synonyms

• alarming
• dire
• direful
• dread
• dreadful
• fearful
• fearsome
• forbidding
• formidable
• frightening
• frightful
• ghastly
• hair-raising
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrifying
• redoubtable
• scary
• shocking
• spine-chilling
• terrible
• terrifying

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

And Tony Todd is pitch-perfect as a hero who, at times, can be as intimidating as the undead outside the house. —EW.com, 17 Oct. 2024

Simplifying Skincare for Everyone Traditionally, the skincare space has a reputation for being complicated and intimidating. —Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 16 Oct. 2024

The persistent process of erosion is powerful enough to cause the world’s most intimidating mountain range to rise slowly up out of the mantle, growing in elevation each year. —Carly Miller, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024

Most communities have trick-or-treaters roaming around as early as 4:30 or 5pm, which allows the littlest crowd to experience the holiday in a less intimidating way. —Christin Perry, Parents, 20 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1748, in the meaning defined above