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
Liu is a big proponent of doing his own stunts, which is something his Copenhagen Test costar Melissa Barrera found impressive and intimidating.
—Patrick Gomez, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Nov. 2025
There are now hundreds of tutorials on TikTok for mogging hairstyles—hair styles which promise to make the viewer look not just attractive to other women, but more intimidating and dominant to other men.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 22 Nov. 2025
The spiders can grow to be about as wide as a tennis ball, and look downright intimidating.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 19 Nov. 2025
In what is her first film role ever, the 25-year-old manages to hold her own opposite a rotation of Oscar winners from Leonardo DiCaprio, to Benicio del Toro, to an extra intimidating Sean Penn.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intimidating
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Patrick Gomez, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Nov. 2025
There are now hundreds of tutorials on TikTok for mogging hairstyles—hair styles which promise to make the viewer look not just attractive to other women, but more intimidating and dominant to other men.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 22 Nov. 2025
The spiders can grow to be about as wide as a tennis ball, and look downright intimidating.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 19 Nov. 2025
In what is her first film role ever, the 25-year-old manages to hold her own opposite a rotation of Oscar winners from Leonardo DiCaprio, to Benicio del Toro, to an extra intimidating Sean Penn.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 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 8 Dec. 2025.
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