To frighten or pressure someone, especially to make them do what you want or to stop them from acting confidently.
From Latin *intimidare* “to frighten,” related to *timidus* “fearful” and *timor* “fear.” It came into English with the sense of creating fear to control others.
Intimidation often works not because someone is actually powerful, but because they can make you feel small. Once you notice the tricks—loud voices, big postures, fast questions—you can start to see through the act.
Intimidation has often been used to maintain gender hierarchies, with women and gender minorities facing harassment and threats in workplaces, politics, and online spaces. Language around being 'intimidating' can also be gendered, where assertive women are labeled intimidating more readily than men.
Avoid framing someone’s legitimate competence as 'intimidating' in a gendered way; focus on behaviors that are actually coercive or threatening. When discussing intimidation, acknowledge power imbalances that often map onto gender.
["threaten","bully","coerce","overawe"]
Women activists, journalists, and leaders have persisted despite targeted intimidation meant to silence them, shaping legal reforms and public discourse on harassment and safety.
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