intimidate

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "intimidate" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to describe someone making someone else feel scared or threatened. For example: "The bully was trying to intimidate the smaller child."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Coming on the back of the detention of David Miranda, it seems that the UK government is using, and quite likely misusing, laws to intimidate journalists and silence its critics.

The Guardian

"We want Iran to calculate what I think is a fair assessment: that if the United States extends a defence umbrella over the region, if we do even more to develop the military capacity of those [allies] in the Gulf, it is unlikely that Iran will be any stronger or safer because they won't be able to intimidate and dominate as they apparently believe they can once they have a nuclear weapon".

The Guardian

Popular blogger and media entrepreneur Anton Nosik called the law on bloggers unconstitutional and said it was meant to intimidate regime critics.

The Guardian

Your readers are well aware through articles in the press that Russia continues to intimidate its private sector, and not a lot has changed in the past 10 years.

The Guardian

You know, you had a government using its tools to intimidate the population.

The Guardian - Opinion

But the army of opponents awaiting Clinton in New Hampshire did not seem to intimidate party officials forming her advance guard.

The Guardian

Noonan said Abbott and Abetz often claimed their argument was with "union bosses" but this latest action was designed to intimidate individual workers.

The Guardian

The reigning German, European and World champions have come to intimidate their domestic rivals to such an extent that some of them have virtually come to wonder why they bother.

The Guardian - Sport

The letter goes on to detail incidences of violence and threats being used to intimidate media organisations, as well as censorship by governments in countries such as Turkey, Russia and Egypt.

The Guardian

That head boy look and those soft, soft eyes – are we surprised a man with eyelashes from a Maybelline advert didn't intimidate the Australians?

The Guardian - Sport

She also described the harassment designed to intimidate their group.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "intimidate", consider the specific nuances of fear and coercion you want to convey. Choose synonyms like "coerce", "bully", or "browbeat" to add precision to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "intimidate" when the context only involves mild discouragement or simple disagreement. "Intimidate" suggests a deliberate attempt to instill fear or suppress opposition, not just a difference in opinion.

Linguistic Context

Intimidate primarily functions as a transitive verb. It requires a direct object, indicating who or what is being subjected to the act of intimidation. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, and examples show its use in various contexts to express the act of instilling fear or deterring action.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "intimidate" is a grammatically correct transitive verb widely used to describe the act of instilling fear or deterring action through coercion. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. It appears most frequently in news and media, as well as formal business contexts. When using "intimidate", consider the nuances of fear and coercion and choose synonyms carefully, like "coerce" or "bully", to enhance precision. Be mindful of overusing "intimidate" in contexts where the act only involves mild discouragement. This term is frequently found in authoritative sources such as The Guardian and The Economist.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bully

Suggests repeated and aggressive behavior intended to dominate or frighten someone.

browbeat

Indicates intimidating someone with stern or overbearing speech.

coerce

Implies forcing someone to do something against their will, often through pressure or threats.

daunt

Suggests discouraging or disheartening someone through fear.

menace

Highlights the act of posing a threat or danger to someone.

frighten

Focuses on causing fear or alarm in someone.

terrorize

Implies creating a state of extreme fear and dread.

overawe

Implies impressing someone so much that they become timid or inhibited.

discourage

Focuses on deterring someone from doing something.

pressure

Implies influencing someone through persistent persuasion or urging.

FAQs

How can I use "intimidate" in a sentence?

You can use "intimidate" to describe the act of making someone afraid or fearful, such as "The bully tried to intimidate the younger students." or "The government used its power to intimidate journalists and silence its critics."

What are some words similar to "intimidate"?

Synonyms for "intimidate" include "coerce", "bully", "browbeat", "menace", and "frighten". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "intimidate to do something"?

While not grammatically incorrect, it's more common and natural to say "intimidate someone into doing something". For example, "They tried to intimidate him into silence."

What's the difference between "intimidate" and "threaten"?

"Threaten" involves expressing an intention to harm, while "intimidate" focuses on making someone fearful or timid. You can threaten without necessarily intimidating, and you can intimidate without making an explicit threat.