cowing
Frightening into submission
Cowing is the act of intimidating someone into submission through fear or threats.
The word comes from cow as a verb meaning to frighten or subdue: The dictator succeeded in cowing the press into silence.
A cowed person has been beaten down psychologically, their resistance broken by intimidation rather than force.
Intimidating with stern pressure
- bullyingAggressive repeated intimidation
- menacingConveying threat or danger
- threateningExpressing intent to harm
- dauntingDiscouraging through difficulty
terrorizing · frightening · overbearing · coercive · oppressive · harassing · scaring · overpowering
Bringing under control
- subjugatingForcing into submission
- dominatingExercising supreme control
- overpoweringToo intense to withstand
- suppressingForcibly restraining or inhibiting
crushing · breaking · humbling · defeating · quelling · silencing · crippling · demoralizing
Evoking extreme fear
- alarmingProvoking fear or anxiety
- panickingExperiencing acute terror
- unnervingCausing loss of composure
- dismayingCausing loss of confidence
rattling · shaking · petrifying · horrifying · traumatizing · spooking · startling · chilling
browbeating
Intimidating with stern pressure
- bullyingAggressive repeated intimidation
- menacingConveying threat or danger
- threateningExpressing intent to harm
daunting · terrorizing · frightening · overbearing · coercive · oppressive · harassing · scaring · overpowering · deterring
subduing
Bringing under control
- subjugatingForcing into submission
- dominatingExercising supreme control
- overpoweringToo intense to withstand
suppressing · crushing · breaking · humbling · defeating · quelling · silencing · crippling · demoralizing · disheartening
terrifying
Evoking extreme fear
- alarmingProvoking fear or anxiety
- panickingExperiencing acute terror
- unnervingCausing loss of composure
dismaying · rattling · shaking · petrifying · horrifying · traumatizing · spooking · startling · chilling · freezing
- intimidationthreats, threatening, menacing, intimidate, bullying
- menacingthreatening, intimidating, menacing, ominous, sinister
- coercionduress, coercing, compelling, threat, forcing
- restrainingconstraining, restricting, limiting, confining, curbing
cowingemboldening
Making more courageous
encouraging · heartening · inspiriting · empowering · inspiring
cowingpersuading
Inducing belief or action
convincing · coaxing · encouraging · winning over · entreating