intimidating someone

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "intimidating someone" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing the act of causing fear or apprehension in another person, often through threats or aggressive behavior. Example: "His constant criticism felt like he was intimidating someone, making it hard for her to express her ideas."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Intimidating someone who has already made themselves vulnerable by buying illegal drugs is easy.

Vice

Intimidating someone who has already made himself vulnerable by buying illegal drugs is easy.

Vice

Meanwhile, the maximum additional penalty they would receive for any other crime or just "oppressing or "intimidating" someone enjoying their constitutional rights—is 15 years.

Vice

As parliament enters its last few weeks of the year some politicians and news organisations have once again taken up the attack againstsection 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, which prohibits offending, insulting, humiliating or intimidating someone on the grounds of race.

The Guardian

In a child's eyes, these interactions cause me to become scary and intimidating, someone who should be avoided.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Even an ordinary jerk can offend ethics: it is dishonorable to bully and intimidate someone.

The New York Times - Magazine

Investigators said they believed Mr. Seignious might have been impersonating an officer to intimidate someone at the housing office into accepting his friend's application.

The New York Times

There are plenty of ways to intimidate someone, but this has got to be one of the weirdest we've seen recently.

The Guardian - Sport

How can he abuse and intimidate someone?'" Sidhu, who is understood to have made a formal complaint to the ICC, added: "I would like to reiterate that Kohli did not apologise to me directly".

The Guardian - Sport

While the data Fleischer used might resonate with some, his gripes with Hagel are largely rhetorical: Contrary to Hagel's logic, Israel doesn't enjoy widespread American support because anyone – from any faith – intimidated someone else; Israel earned the support of the American people because of its people's values.

The Guardian - Opinion

"It's not hard to intimidate someone when they're holding a 3-year-old [child] in their hands.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a situation where someone is being intimidated, be specific about the methods used and the impact on the person being targeted. For example, instead of saying "He was intimidating someone", specify "He was "intimidating someone" by using aggressive language and invading their personal space".

Common error

Avoid using "intimidating someone" interchangeably with similar terms like "persuading someone" or "influencing someone". "Intimidating someone" implies coercion through fear or threats, while the others suggest a more positive or neutral form of convincing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "intimidating someone" functions primarily as a verb phrase. It describes the act of making another person feel fearful or threatened, often to influence their behavior. As Ludwig AI highlights, it's grammatically sound and widely used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

20%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "intimidating someone" is a grammatically correct and frequently used verb phrase that describes the act of causing fear or apprehension in another person, often to influence their behavior. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is widely accepted and can be found in various contexts, including news, academic writing, and general discussions. While alternatives like "bullying someone" or "coercing someone" exist, "intimidating someone" maintains a neutral tone suitable for diverse communication scenarios. When using the phrase, be specific about the methods of intimidation and their impact. It's important to differentiate it from terms like "persuading someone", which implies a less coercive approach.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bullying someone

Focuses more specifically on repeated aggressive behavior.

coercing someone

Implies forcing someone to do something against their will.

frightening someone

Highlights the act of causing fear.

menacing someone

Suggests a threatening presence or action.

threatening someone

Involves expressing an intention to harm.

pressuring someone

Indicates applying persistent influence to get someone to do something.

browbeating someone

Means intimidating with stern or abusive words.

harassing someone

Involves persistent and unwanted actions that disturb or alarm.

terrorizing someone

Implies creating extreme fear or dread.

putting the shits up someone

An informal expression meaning to scare or unsettle someone.

FAQs

How can I use "intimidating someone" in a sentence?

You can use "intimidating someone" to describe the act of causing fear or apprehension in another person. For example: "His behavior was clearly aimed at "intimidating someone" into silence".

What are some alternatives to "intimidating someone"?

You can use alternatives like "bullying someone", "coercing someone", or "frightening someone" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "intimidating someone" and "persuading someone"?

"Intimidating someone" involves using fear or threats to influence behavior, whereas "persuading someone" relies on reasoning or appealing to their emotions.

Is "intimidating someone" a formal or informal expression?

"Intimidating someone" is a neutral expression that can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although more formal alternatives like "coercing someone" may be preferred in academic or professional writing.