1
as in terrifying
causing fear
the school's seniors faced the intimidating prospect of the college entrance exams
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of intimidating
Holly Burns, Time, 6 May 2026
Cincinnati is in sixth place, a perennial playoff contender and an intimidating place to play.
—Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 13 May 2026
The intimidating incident is one of several dangerous bear encounters reported over the past four weeks on the Ramsey Cascades Trail, which is now closed for public safety.
—Mark Price
may 12, Charlotte Observer, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for intimidating
Adjective
While no medical procedure is fun, exactly, some can feel more intimidating than others.
—Holly Burns, Time, 6 May 2026
Cincinnati is in sixth place, a perennial playoff contender and an intimidating place to play.
—Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
Verb
Assembly and Installation Opening up the StepUp shipping box is momentarily intimidating—there are a lot of little hardware pieces, and none of them are labeled.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 13 May 2026
The intimidating incident is one of several dangerous bear encounters reported over the past four weeks on the Ramsey Cascades Trail, which is now closed for public safety.
—Mark Price
may 12, Charlotte Observer, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for intimidating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intimidating
Adjective
-
The tech is terrifying, but it’s treated matter-of-factly, played for barked laughs.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette star as the main couple, Bear and Nikki, who fall victim to the One Wish Willow, a wish-granting toy with terrifying results.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
16 May 2026
Adjective
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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
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The son of a Scottish immigrant, McCluskie had a reputation as a political street fighter and his gruff style complemented Becerra’s more measured, cerebral approach.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Police say another mother, identified in the affidavit as Jada Hayes, remained in the parking lot after the meeting to speak with Dunmars about allegations that Dunmars’ child was bullying her own child.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
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Among her efforts at LJES was working with then-principal Stephanie Hasselbrink on ways to reduce conflict and bullying among students.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Eidinger is perfect for the role, and his escalating temper tantrums — almost camp at first, with delicious echoes of Christoph Waltz’s Hans Landa — become frightening in their intensity.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
18 May 2026
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But at Medley Club, residents never lost power during the entire frightening ordeal.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Elsewhere, Juventus was roundly jeered after losing 2-0 at home to fierce rivals Fiorentina, while Como held on for a 1-0 win over Parma to leave Cesc Fàbregas’ team still in with a chance of qualifying for the Champions League just seven years after playing in Italy's fourth division.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
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In the remote native villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, on the coast of the Bering Sea, Halong’s fierce flooding lifted homes off their foundations and carried them down a river with people still inside.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
17 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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Rossellini plays the formidable Madame de Noailles, an old-school aristocrat devoted to Marie Antoinette and haunted by a lost love.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
15 May 2026
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Vegas will remain formidable because of its eternal win-now mandate.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Jansa has been a stern critic of Golob's government, including Slovenia's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
-
Christophe is the spry, imaginative middle child to a stern farmer dad in an economically depressed countryside.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Intimidating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intimidating. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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