intimidating

[in-tim-i-dey-ting]

adjective

1. Sometimes intimidatory intended to frighten someone or to force or stop someone’s action through fear.

   We will not be sucked in to your macho agenda by intimidating threats of violence or seductive promises of power.

2. causing timidity, hesitancy, or anxiety, especially because of difficulty or risk; daunting.

   The day-to-day operations of the healthcare environment can be overwhelming and intimidating to the point of paralysis.

3. causing someone to feel overawed or cowed, as through force of personality or superior display of wealth, talent, rank, etc..

   All the others had gone to Harvard or Yale, and I was just a country hick; it was intimidating, for sure.

Other Word Forms

• unintimidating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of intimidating¹

intimidat(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Slash enjoys the idea of being a towering, sometimes intimidating presence.

From Los Angeles Times

That doesn’t mean that modern moviegoing should be intimidating, only that it’s malleable, and that you can be just as flexible with the films you see.

From Salon

Ch Insp Mullan said: "There is no place in our society for this type of intimidating behaviour and we will continue to engage with local representatives and partner agencies around community safety."

From BBC

"And if you can't remember that, then just think about how you would feel if a driver was intimidating someone you loved."

From BBC

A campaign group in Birmingham has said it wants the appearance of flags to spread "joy", but others have said it is intimidating.

From BBC

Related Words

• aggressive 
• frightening www.thesaurus.com
• terrifying