to make timid or frightened; scare to discourage, restrain, or silence illegally or unscrupulously, as by threats or blackmail
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
in•tim•i•date /ɪnˈtɪmɪˌdeɪt/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object], -dat•ed, -dat•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to make timid; fill with fear:The bullies intimidated the new kids at school.
- to cause a feeling of great awe in (someone):was not intimidated by the huge room where she had to give her speech.
- to force into or deter from some action by inducing fear:[~ + object + into + verb-ing]to intimidate a voter into staying away from the polls.
in•tim•i•date
(in tim′i dāt′),USA pronunciation v.t., -dat•ed, -dat•ing.
in•tim′i•da′tion, n.
in•tim′i•da′tor, n.
in•tim•i•da•to•ry
(in tim′i də tôr′ē, -tōr′ē),USA pronunciation adj.
- to make timid; fill with fear.
- to overawe or cow, as through the force of personality or by superior display of wealth, talent, etc.
- to force into or deter from some action by inducing fear:to intimidate a voter into staying away from the polls.
- Medieval Latin intimidātus, past participle of intimidāre to make afraid, equivalent. to Latin in- in-2 + timid(us) timid, afraid + -ātus -ate1
- 1640–50
in•tim′i•da′tor, n.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged frighten, subdue, daunt, terrify. See discourage.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged calm.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged encourage.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'intimidated' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):