intimidate

verb

in·​tim·​i·​date in-ˈti-mə-ˌdāt How to pronounce intimidate (audio)
intimidated; intimidating
Synonyms of intimidate

transitive verb

: to make timid or fearful : frighten
especially : to compel or deter by or as if by threats
tried to intimidate a witness
intimidation
in-ˌti-mə-ˈdā-shən How to pronounce intimidate (audio)
noun
intimidator
in-ˈti-mə-ˌdā-tər How to pronounce intimidate (audio)
noun

Synonyms of intimidate

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for intimidate

intimidate, cow, bulldoze, bully, browbeat mean to frighten into submission.

intimidate implies inducing fear or a sense of inferiority into another.

intimidated by so many other bright freshmen

cow implies reduction to a state where the spirit is broken or all courage is lost.

not at all cowed by the odds against making it in show business

bulldoze implies an intimidating or an overcoming of resistance usually by urgings, demands, or threats.

bulldozed the city council into approving the plan

bully implies intimidation through threats, insults, or aggressive behavior.

bullied into giving up their lunch money

browbeat implies a cowing through arrogant, scornful, or contemptuous treatment.

browbeat the witness into a contradiction

Examples of intimidate in a Sentence

He tries to intimidate his opponents. You shouldn't allow his reputation to intimidate you.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pearce is by turns low-key hilarious and intimidating as the unerringly sure-of-himself businessman, peppering his conversation with colorful Australianisms and profanity while never relaxing his laser focus. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 Melanie Melanie came to this reunion prepared with both facts and a prosecutorial confrontation style that effectively intimidates all of her on-stage opponents. — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026 On that last point, workers reported numerous incidents in which the union, the Sindicato Unido de Trabajadores, intimidated or threatened workers for criticizing the company, speaking with outsiders, or participating in meetings with other workers. — Charity Ryerson, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026 The Basij boosted its presence during the war, and hard-liners have held nightly rallies in Tehran and other cities, drumming up support and intimidating any possible dissenters. — Lee Keath, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for intimidate

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin intimidatus, past participle of intimidare, from Latin in- + timidus timid

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of intimidate was in 1646

Rhymes for intimidate

See All Rhymes for intimidate

Browse Nearby Words

in time to
intimidate
intimidated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Intimidate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intimidate. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

intimidate

verb
in·​tim·​i·​date in-ˈtim-ə-ˌdāt How to pronounce intimidate (audio)
intimidated; intimidating
: to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats
intimidation
-ˌtim-ə-ˈdā-shən How to pronounce intimidate (audio)
noun
intimidator
-ˈtim-ə-ˌdāt-ər How to pronounce intimidate (audio)
noun

Legal Definition

intimidate

transitive verb
in·​tim·​i·​date in-ˈti-mə-ˌdāt How to pronounce intimidate (audio)
intimidated; intimidating
1
: to make timid or fearful
especially : to compel or deter by or as if by threats see also coercion
2
: to engage in the crime of intimidating (as a witness, juror, public officer in the performance of his or her duty, or victim of a robbery or other crime)
intimidatingly adverb
intimidation
in-ˌti-mə-ˈdā-shən How to pronounce intimidate (audio)
noun
intimidator
in-ˈti-mə-ˌdā-tər How to pronounce intimidate (audio)
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All