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
Ian ThomsenFirst 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
Daphne Hurford
intimidatingly
adverb
The ship was eerily, intimidatingly empty …
—Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain
… according to the architect Richard Rogers, [Daniel] Libeskind's work isn't just formally arresting—it is intimidatingly smart.
—Jason Cowley
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
Its profoundly intimidating core cast come together as the white-hot heart of an espionage love story.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 June 2025
Unlike other squirrel-proof bird feeders, this one is ideal for small birds and won’t attract bigger, more intimidating birds like ravens, eagles, grackles, or black birds.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 June 2025
The thought of my own child struggling through the terror of such an intimidating situation is overwhelming.
—Afira Arrastia Devries, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025
The Congressional Budget Office publishes an intimidating chart that puts this in perspective and shows that the debt to GDP ratio in the U.S. has only been higher (going all the way back to 1790) in the post-World War II period.
—Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for intimidating
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Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 June 2025
Unlike other squirrel-proof bird feeders, this one is ideal for small birds and won’t attract bigger, more intimidating birds like ravens, eagles, grackles, or black birds.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 June 2025
The thought of my own child struggling through the terror of such an intimidating situation is overwhelming.
—Afira Arrastia Devries, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025
The Congressional Budget Office publishes an intimidating chart that puts this in perspective and shows that the debt to GDP ratio in the U.S. has only been higher (going all the way back to 1790) in the post-World War II period.
—Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for intimidating
Cite this Entry
“Intimidating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intimidating. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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