All words

intimidate

Meaning

To make someone timid or fearful, often through threats or creating a sense of awe or apprehension.

Examples by difficulty

Basic: Simple, everyday vocabulary — the easiest to read.

The tall man’s stare seemed to intimidate the little boy. He wanted to ask a question, but the sheer size and serious look on the man's face made him feel too small and worried to speak.

The vast, silent desert stretched endlessly. The sheer emptiness began to intimidate me. I was so small, and the sun felt like a giant, watching my every move. Fear prickled my skin as I realized how truly alone I was, with nothing but sand for miles.

The ancient, hulking shadow of the Glarblefang loomed over the small village. Its massive, crystalline eyes scanned the gathered townsfolk. They stood frozen, the sheer size and alien glow of the creature serving to intimidate them, making their knees weak with a sudden, deep fear.

The giant fuzzy hamster, all fluff and whiskers, tried to intimidate the tiny mouse with a puff of its cheeks. The mouse, however, just giggled, thinking the hamster looked like a runaway dust bunny.

The enormous, fuzzy caterpillar, wearing a tiny top hat, tried to intimidate me with its wiggling eyebrows. It puffed itself up, hoping to make me feel small and scared, but I just giggled. It looked more like a fuzzy, confused marshmallow than a monster.

Normal: Standard, everyday language.

The sheer size of the champion boxer was enough to intimidate his opponent before the first punch was even thrown. He stood there, a mountain of muscle, his intense gaze promising a swift defeat.

The vast, silent maw of the unmapped ocean trench seemed to swallow the submarine's lights. Its sheer, crushing depth, a darkness so profound, began to intimidate the seasoned pilot, a primal fear blooming in his chest despite his years of experience.

The vast, silent expanse of the nebulae, swirling with colors that defied earthly description, began to intimidate the lone astrogator. Her previous missions, though challenging, had never prepared her for this sheer, cosmic indifference; it made her feel utterly insignificant.

Bartholomew's booming laugh, like a herd of elephants tap-dancing, always seemed to intimidate the teacups. He'd inhale so deeply before a chuckle, the porcelain would tremble, anticipating the seismic event. The saucers, meanwhile, would discreetly try to hide under the tablecloth.

The gargantuan llama, sporting a monocle and a waistcoat made of artisanal cheese, stepped onto the miniature stage. Its sheer size and the disapproving glint in its rheumy eyes seemed to intentionally intimidate the audience of startled garden gnomes, who huddled closer, their painted smiles faltering.

Advanced: Richer vocabulary that stretches an upper-level reader.

The towering mountains seemed to intimidate the hikers with their sheer size and steep inclines. A profound sense of awe mixed with apprehension settled over them, making their journey feel daunting.

The towering, obsidian statue of the ancient god felt designed to intimidate anyone who approached. Its sheer scale and the somber expression carved into its face instilled a deep unease, making the offerings feel smaller and more fragile than they were.

The hulking cyborg, its optical sensors glowing a malevolent red, stepped between the scouts and the artifact. Its sheer presence, a testament to its destructive capabilities, served to intimidate, freezing them in their tracks with a potent mixture of fear and wonder.

Bartholomew the badger, a creature of considerable girth and questionable hygiene, did not merely growl; he amplified his snorts to an alarming decibel, hoping to intimidate any squirrels who dared approach his meticulously hoarded acorn stash. Their tiny hearts would flutter like trapped moths, effectively frozen by his formidable, rumbling presence.

The towering, iridescent snail, glistening with an otherworldly dew, seemed poised to intimidate the unsuspecting gnome. Its sheer, gargantuan presence, coupled with a subtle, resonant hum that vibrated through the very soil, aimed to instill a potent sense of awe and apprehension, making the tiny creature question its life choices.

Challenging: Rare, high-register vocabulary for serious word lovers.

The hulking defenseman's sheer presence, his aggressive posture, and the glares he cast toward the opposing forwards began to intimidate the younger players, making their knees tremble and their passes falter. He wanted them to feel the raw power and apprehension he projected.

The sheer immensity of the pre-Columbian astronomical observatory, its cyclopean stones precisely aligned with celestial phenomena, began to intimidate the young apprentice. He’d studied astrolabes his entire life, but standing beneath the silent, watchful edifice, a profound apprehension settled over him, making his usual scholarly boldness evaporate.

The sheer, precipitous drop of the obsidian chasm threatened to intimidate even the most stoic of the spelunkers, their torchlight barely illuminating the unfathomable darkness below, a stark testament to nature's formidable and humbling power.

The towering, gargantuan ogre, with his preternatural stench and a beard that resembled a derelict aviary, tried to intimidate the tiny pixie by flexing his brawny, adipose limbs. However, the pixie, accustomed to dragon sneezes, merely flitted around his massive proboscis, giggling.

The gargantuan, phosphorescent slugs, their proboscises quivering with an unsettling luminescence, began their ponderous ascent up the obsidian spire. Their sheer, glistening immensity, coupled with a low, resonant hum that vibrated through the very bedrock, served to completely intimidate even the most stoic of myciphages, leaving them paralyzed with awe and a healthy dose of abject terror.

Difficulty

Basic — Common words most learners already know.

Appears in

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