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 of intimidating

• terrifying
• frightening
• formidable
• scary
• horrible
• terrible

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

As played by John Lithgow, Dahl is an intimidating physical presence, and, as if on the playground, uses this looming quality, along with a facility for language, to intimidate anyone around him. —Daniel D'addario, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026

As trendy as the weight room might be these days, the world of barbells and dumbbells can be a pretty intimidating place. —Jennifer Heimlich, SELF, 24 Mar. 2026

Security agents are still out in force Residents say security forces still have an intimidating presence in Tehran. —Sarah El Deeb, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026

In the near future, keeping tabs on your digestive health may feel far less intimidating. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1748, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for intimidating

• accelerating
• accentuating
• accommodating
• accumulating
• adjudicating
• administrating
• affiliating
• agglutinating
• alienating
• alleviating
• amalgamating
• ameliorating