intimidate
Make someone uneasy
To intimidate is to frighten or threaten someone into compliance or submission.
The effect may be intentional—The lawyer tried to intimidate the witness—or simply a byproduct of presence or reputation: His size alone intimidated opponents.
Someone intimidating inspires fear or unease, often through implied power rather than direct threat.
Source of potential harm
- threatenPromise harm or punishment
- warnGive notice of peril
- terrorizeFrighten into submission
- alarmUrgent warning signal
scare · frighten · daunt · cow · spook · unnerve · petrify · horrify
Force upon contact
- coerceObtain by intimidation
- compelForce to act
- forceStrength or compulsion
- strong-armCoerce through intimidation
arm-twist · bulldoze · dragoon · press-gang · blackmail · extort · lean on · twist arm
Defeat by superior force
- overwhelmDefeat by excess
- subdueBring under control
- dominateControl through superior strength
- outmatchDefeat by superiority
overshadow · dwarf · outclass · crush · steamroll · alpha · boss around · lord over
menace
Source of potential harm
alarm · scare · frighten · daunt · cow · spook · unnerve · petrify · horrify · startle
pressure
Force upon contact
strong-arm · arm-twist · bulldoze · dragoon · press-gang · blackmail · extort · lean on · twist arm · muscle
overpower
Defeat by superior force
outmatch · overshadow · dwarf · outclass · crush · steamroll · alpha · boss around · lord over · control
harass
Persistently torment someone
persecute · haze · pick on · domineer · tyrannize · oppress · badger · hector · hound · ride
impress
Affect with admiration
astonish · overwhelm · impose · floor · stagger · humble · dwarf · tower above · grandeur · formidable
- lord it overboss around, bully, dominate, oppress, tyrannize
- mind gamesmind game, head game, head games, mind games, distraction
- aggressionhostility, violence, attack, fight, combativeness
- confrontationsargue, fight, clash, quarrel, dispute
- intimidationthreats, threatening, menacing, bullying, menace
- discouraging actionsdeter, dissuade, daunt, dishearten, demoralize
- witness intimidationThreatening courtroom testifiers
- voter intimidationDiscouraging voting through threats
- intimidation tacticsFear-based coercion methods
intimidating, intimidation, intimidated, intimidates, intimidator, intimidators, intimidatory, intimidations