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
Synonyms
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
Choosing your palette is one of the most important (and intimidating) parts of designing a space—and the paint brand just made the process a whole lot easier.
—Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 June 2024
Despite his larger-than-life presence, O'Neal — who wears a shoe size 22 — is hardly intimidating.
—Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 3 June 2024
How To Make Berry Chantilly Cake While this cake might seem a bit intimidating to take on at first glance, only 25 minutes of hands-on time is actually needed to make this sophisticated cake happen.
—Anna Theoktisto, Southern Living, 29 May 2024
His physical style riles up opponents and sets an intimidating tone.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for intimidating 
Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 June 2024
Despite his larger-than-life presence, O'Neal — who wears a shoe size 22 — is hardly intimidating.
—Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 3 June 2024
How To Make Berry Chantilly Cake While this cake might seem a bit intimidating to take on at first glance, only 25 minutes of hands-on time is actually needed to make this sophisticated cake happen.
—Anna Theoktisto, Southern Living, 29 May 2024
His physical style riles up opponents and sets an intimidating tone.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for intimidating
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'intimidating.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near intimidating
Cite this Entry
“Intimidating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intimidating. Accessed 7 Jun. 2024.
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