1
as in terrifying
causing fear
the school's seniors faced the intimidating prospect of the college entrance exams
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
an intimidating bodyguard keeping the fans away from the pop star
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in bullying
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats
refusing to be intimidated by the manager's harsh stare, I demanded my money back
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of intimidating
Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
You might be asked to step up, own up to a mistake or take the lead in a way that feels more intimidating than usual.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Kristine Sorensen, CBS News, 22 May 2026
As intimidating as his defense is, he can be beaten in space when drivers can get a bump into an overextended Wembanyama, or even get under Wembanyama to get by him.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for intimidating
Adjective
Facing one of the state’s top girls lacrosse teams is always an intimidating challenge.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
You might be asked to step up, own up to a mistake or take the lead in a way that feels more intimidating than usual.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Verb
Art can be inspiring, educational, beautiful, shocking, confusing, and so many more things, but if art is also intimidating, Bishop-Root suggests letting your kids be the guide.
—Kristine Sorensen, CBS News, 22 May 2026
As intimidating as his defense is, he can be beaten in space when drivers can get a bump into an overextended Wembanyama, or even get under Wembanyama to get by him.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for intimidating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intimidating
Adjective
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And Kyle Busch himself won his first Cup championship in 2015 after suffering a broken right leg and a broken left ankle in a terrifying crash at Daytona.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
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Robertson plays a beautiful rising but troubled Hollywood starlet who accepts what appears to be the perfect secluded retreat, only to uncover a terrifying web of secrets connected to the property’s mysterious caretaker and the haunting legacy hidden deep within its walls.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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Meanwhile, Ye-jin is drawn in by the caring nature beneath Matthew’s gruff surface.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
29 May 2026
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But the grizzled former Man in Black and man-who-failed-to-ground-Maverick isn’t known for playing the type of gruff ol’ cowpoke who’s about to break into song.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The student who was injured was subjected to other instances of bullying before the assault on May 7, according to the lawsuit filed by Mollie and Boston Mallory, the plaintiff’s attorneys.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 May 2026
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In the documentary, Steve maintained his daughter’s innocence and defended her against allegations from former classmates who accused her of bullying.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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The Boroughs is not a frightening show, monster snack-time portrayals notwithstanding.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2026
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The father of two and community activist said the encounters can range from embarrassing and annoying to downright frightening.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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Reddit is home to many of Civilization VII’s fiercest critics, but Test of Time also appears to be well received there, too.—
Barry Collins,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
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She will be remembered for her loving generosity, fierce opinions, endless curiosity, unique style, and her powdered, almond, crescent cookies at Christmas, hence her name, Auntie Cookie.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
Verb
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That combination—higher costs, fewer flights, and steady demand—has given airlines more room to raise fares without scaring off travelers.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 May 2026
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Schwarzenegger’s strategy energized Californians who wanted to punish incumbent Democrats, but avoided scaring too many of the state’s median voters.—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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The Cuban military, once a formidable expeditionary force during Cold War campaigns in Africa, now struggles with chronic fuel shortages, aging equipment, limited mobility and poor readiness, Pérez said.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
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The elder Jackson, one of Chicago’s most famous civil rights icons, died in February and left his formidable organization to his son Yusef.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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His portrait, stern and majestic, hangs broodingly over the stairs; elsewhere on the walls, the art ranges from the Baroque to the bro-tinged, with turbaned figures sharing space with Ryu from Street Fighter.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
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The cop, who was fingerprinted after taking the deal, had a stern expression throughout the brief hearing.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Intimidating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intimidating. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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