intimidating

The word “intimidating” means causing fear, nervousness, or a sense of being overpowered. In plain terms, something or someone that makes you feel nervous or small.

Here is “intimidating” used in a sentence: “The interview panel looked intimidating from the doorway.”

“Intimidating” is an adjective.

“Intimidating” is an uncommon word in modern English.

Intimidating usually describes something that makes a person feel small, nervous, or overpowered, often because of another person's confidence, size, or authority. Scary is broader and covers any source of fear, including things that are simply frightening rather than socially overpowering, like a horror film. Something can be intimidating without being scary in a physical-danger sense.

Yes, someone can come across as intimidating simply through their manner, tone, expertise, or physical presence, even without any deliberate intent to unsettle others. This is why the word is often used to describe interviewers, experts, or authority figures rather than only aggressive people.

Tasks, exams, blank pages, new environments, and large amounts of information are commonly called intimidating when they cause nervousness or a sense of being overwhelmed. The word applies to any situation that triggers that feeling of being outmatched, not just to people.