intimidating

/ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪtɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪtɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈti-mə-ˌdā-tiŋ/ (ame, mw)

intimidating — adjective

  • intimidatingpositive
  • more intimidatingcomparative
  • most intimidatingsuperlative

1. making someone feel nervous and less sure of themselves because a person, place,

1.形容詞B2
釋義

making someone feel nervous and less sure of themselves because a person, place, or task seems powerful or hard to face

例句

During the interview, the lawyer's long silence felt intimidating to Esteban.

predicative: feel + intimidating

Zuri stood outside the intimidating stone gate before ringing the school bell.

attributive: intimidating + noun

同義詞
  • daunting

    is often used for difficult tasks or large jobs, with more focus on difficulty than on another person's presence

  • frightening

    is broader and more direct, used when something simply causes fear

  • imposing

    often focuses on size, authority, or formal appearance rather than the uneasy feeling itself

反義詞
  • approachable

    describes a person or place that feels easy to go up to

  • reassuring

    makes you feel calmer and more confident

  • welcoming

    gives a friendly feeling instead of pressure

文法句型

be + intimidating

intimidating + noun

find something intimidating

用法筆記

Often describes people, formal places, difficult tasks, or large amounts of work that make someone hesitate before acting. After verbs like 'feel', 'look', or 'seem', it usually suggests both fear and a drop in confidence.

常見錯誤

❌I felt intimidating before the interview.
✅I felt intimidated before the interview.
💡intimidating describes the thing that causes pressure or fear; intimidated describes the person who feels it.