intimidates

verb

present tense third-person singular of intimidate
as in bullies
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of intimidates 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 In the five vignettes, James, as his character Eddie Horniman, intimidates various individuals while going through the clean-up, the sacrifice, the angle, the cut and the judgment — all steps of serving Stella Artois. — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026 Opponents say the ambiguous law only intimidates people from using the flag in art, protests or other forms of expression, and could violate constitutional freedom of speech. — ABC News, 17 July 2026 Any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates or interferes with airline crew members can lead to penalties of up to $43,658 per violation, according to the FAA. — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 3 May 2026 The aura of the classical guitar intimidates me. — Peter Wayne Moe, Longreads, 26 Mar. 2026 The case has heightened concerns among Canada’s Iranian diaspora, many of whom have warned for years that Tehran monitors and intimidates critics abroad. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 12 Mar. 2026 Maybe her coolness intimidates them, or her green eyes. — Rodrigo Hasbún, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026 If French wine intimidates you, this is the perfect place to get over that fear. — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intimidates
  1. bullies
  2. frightens
  3. scares
  4. startles
  5. coerces
Verb
  • Backstage, Kenny Omega calls the Don Callis Family bullies and tells them to pick any three members to face him and The Young Bucks, who are standing beside Omega, next week.
    — Rob Wolkenbrod, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Williams called Valkyries fans bullies in an Instagram Live stream earlier this week, and by Friday night, Chase Center had the receipts.
    — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 20 June 2026
Definition of bullies
Verb
  • Penelope, too, is asked to occupy a landscape that frightens her, not only as a neurodivergent child in a neurotypical culture, but as a child now situated in an adult world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026
  • And for members who have a long history, who are used to running on that long history, that frightens them.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightens
Verb
  • Fly fishing taught me that forcing the outcome usually scares it away.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The unpredictable motion scares them off, startling them and throwing them off balance.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of scares
Verb
  • Missile warning startles Dubai Earlier on Friday, a missile warning in the United Arab Emirates caused by a technical glitch underscored the ongoing tensions in the region, following the attack on the cargo vessel and Israeli strikes in Lebanon over the past few days.
    — Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
  • The combination of flashing light and movement startles them.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
Definition of startles
Verb
  • However, the rotation of this filament clearly dominates how the galaxies within it spin, perhaps by funneling hydrogen gas along the dark-matter filament and onto the galaxies in a way that coerces their spin while providing further fuel for star formation.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 4 Dec. 2025
  • Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, Ali, a university professor, coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2025
Definition of coerces

Browse Nearby Words

intimidated
intimidates
intimidating
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Cite this Entry

“Intimidates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intimidates. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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