in·tim·i·dat·ing | \ in-ˈti-mə-ˌdā-tiŋ 
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\Definition of intimidating
: 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
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Synonyms for intimidating
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
Recent Examples on the Web Jackson has been inconsistent as a passer and less intimidating as a runner this season, evidenced by his performance Sunday against the Bengals (19-for-37 passing for 180 yards, two touchdowns and an interception with 3 rushing yards).
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C.j. Doon, baltimoresun.com, "NFL MVP watch, Week 5: Russell Wilson does it again, while Ryan Tannehill enters the mix," 14 Oct. 2020 These test kits are easy to use and perhaps less intimidating than long-swab testing used in health care settings.
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Allison Duncan, Health.com, "3 Types of COVID-19 Tests, and Which One Is the Most Accurate," 7 Oct. 2020 Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an intimidating boss.
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Ryan Park, The Atlantic, "RBG Inspired Me to Be a Better Lawyer and Father," 25 Sep. 2020 Trump has urged several design changes to the barrier to make its appearance more intimidating, insisting, for instance, that it should be painted black to absorb more solar radiation.
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Washington Post, "Trump administration in an all-out push to build border wall before election," 29 Sep. 2020 Replicating the energy of the 12th Man With a 25 percent capacity limit for attendance at Kyle Field on Saturday, the stadium won’t be as loud or as intimidating as it is known for being.
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Hannah Underwood, Dallas News, "Recent opt outs not changing Texas A&M football’s mentality, Jimbo Fisher says," 21 Sep. 2020 If the Big Ten holds to its no-fans policy, that trip to Penn State on Oct. 31 does not seem so intimidating.
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Nathan Baird, cleveland, "Ohio State football should not worry about playing catch-up in playoff race: College football Monday Madness," 21 Sep. 2020 The novel’s immense readability does clash with its intimidating doorstop size.
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Christian Holub, EW.com, "Quarantine Book Club: How I got lost in Piranesi during the pandemic," 17 Sep. 2020 This grill—although calling it a grill is like calling a multitool a pocket knife—from Kalamazoo is both impressive and intimidating.
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Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "Your Ultimate Grill Buying Guide—Tested and Approved," 8 Sep. 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'intimidating.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Time Traveler for intimidating
The first known use of intimidating was in 1748
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