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
Ian ThomsenFirst 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
Daphne Hurford
intimidatingly
adverb
The ship was eerily, intimidatingly empty …
—Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain
… according to the architect Richard Rogers, [Daniel] Libeskind's work isn't just formally arresting—it is intimidatingly smart.
—Jason Cowley
Jason Cowley
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
Being invited to speak to a group of leaders—whether peers, senior executives or cross-functional stakeholders—can feel both exciting and intimidating.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Liston was famous for being ill-tempered and intimidating.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
This is one of the biggest games of her four-year collegiate career and a prime opportunity to get right against an intimidating final boss.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
The manuals of government departments provide intricate guidelines and procedures, totaling an intimidating morass of rules—guidebooks that the bureaucracy can use to justify its actions, or lack thereof.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intimidating
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Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Liston was famous for being ill-tempered and intimidating.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
This is one of the biggest games of her four-year collegiate career and a prime opportunity to get right against an intimidating final boss.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
The manuals of government departments provide intricate guidelines and procedures, totaling an intimidating morass of rules—guidebooks that the bureaucracy can use to justify its actions, or lack thereof.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intimidating
Cite this Entry
“Intimidating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intimidating. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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