50 Intimidating Quotes You Can’t Resist to Share

By Norbert Juma

Master quote curator and editor on a mission to inspire

Published January 19, 2023

If you are interested in intimidating quotes, you have landed on the right page.

We have created a solid collection of quotes about intimidation.

These quotes are not only impressive but inspiring too.

You will find the desired inspiration and motivation by going through our list of quotes.

But before going to our quotes section, let us learn what intimidation means.

What is meant by intimidation?

To intimidate is to threaten or frighten a person and force him/her to do something.

The intimidating person can ask for anything which the person threatened is made to do.

In some cases, intimidation is also taken positively.

Example: “The idea of going abroad for higher studies intimidates me.”

Types of intimidation

Below are the two major types of intimidation:

Intentional intimidation
Unintentional intimidation

Intentional intimidation

Intentional intimidation is when a person wants others to fear or feel scared when he/she is around.

To put it simply, intentional intimidation involves manipulation and bullying of another person.

Intentional intimidation includes implications or suggestions that are likely to harm you mentally or physically.

The threat could be anything i.e. physical, verbal, or written.

On the contrary, certain people take advantage of their intimidating behavior to prove others inferior.

Usually, this type of intimidation might not be that dangerous, but it can be disturbing for a person.

Intimidation or bullying at work might include:

When a person intentionally undermines someone else’s work
If someone faces unnecessary and constant criticism
Some acts like threatening, cursing, and humiliating others
Spreading unethical rumors or gossip about colleagues or subordinates

Unintentional intimidation

This is a type of intimidation that isn’t intended.

This means that the person intimidating isn’t actually trying to intimidate others.

Usually, people are naturally intimidated by others without having a known feeling in their self-consciousness.

Top 10 intimidating quotes

Take a look at these impressive intimidating quotes that are specifically compiled in our top 10 section.

1. “I am the least intimidating person.” — Karen Black

2. “Try harder! It still can be a little bit intimidating.” — Paul McCartney

3. “I really liked Yale, although it was extremely intimidating.” — Claire Danes

4. “I’m just calm under fire. I’m not intimidating at all.” — Keenen Ivory Wayans

5. “Hugh Laurie was intimidating, but he’s the greatest guy.” — Peter Jacobson

6. “The whole concept of negotiating is intimidating to many people.” — Leigh Steinberg

7. “For some reason, the concept of writing with swing chords was intimidating.” — Suzy Bogguss

8. “Nothing is more intimidating than an idiotic grin worn by a manifest non-idiot.” — Eric Frank Russell

9. “The runway symbolizes something in society that’s very intimidating to women.” — Tyra Banks

10. “Creative people are often found either disagreeable or intimidating by mediocrities.” — Criss Jami

Intimidating quotes that are simply engaging

Here are a few of the most popular intimidating quotes that are bound to engage your attention.

11. “Weight Watchers is not intimidating. It’s not a diet. It’s a lifestyle.” — Jessica Simpson

12. “He had long nostril hairs, powerfully intimidating, like an unscheduled nightmare.” — Charles Bukowski

13. “As it turned out, my perception was so much more intimidating than the reality.” — Jennifer Baumgardner

14. “Behind intimidating messages are simply people appealing to us to meet their needs.” — Marshall B. Rosenberg

15. “Well, Tommy Lee Jones is a little bit more intimidating. He’s definitely a cowboy. He’s from Texas.” — Christina Milian

16. “People only see gymnastics on TV and in the Olympics at such an extreme. So it can be intimidating.” — Shawn Johnson

17. “I really enjoyed judges critiques because I can always grow and improve from that. I don’t think any of the judges are intimidating.” — Shirley Chung

18. “I wanted to show you that it’s not all cold and intimidating,” Finn explained. “I wanted you to see something warm and beautiful.” — Amanda Hocking

19. “If I went out in killer heels and full makeup, blow dry, the whole thing — anyone dressed up like that could be intimidating to men and women, really.” — Rachel Weisz

20. “There may be something to the suggestion about the pace of technological change intimidating writers, though – it’s been awfully hard to keep ahead of real developments.” — Stanley Schmidt

Intimidating quotes for everyone

The intimidating quotes listed below are suitable for almost every person. You can also share these amazing quotes with your friends and family.

21. “Standing before a camera isn’t intimidating. It’s more comfortable for me. I enjoy it now. I’m more aware of what to do.” — Julia Stegner

22. “I felt very comfortable on a set – incredibly comfortable on a set, which is a real gift because that can be hugely intimidating.” — Bryce Dallas Howard

23. “Messages from the angels will come with a feeling of certainty and peace, even if the messages are intimidating because they are pushing you past your comfort zone.” — Doreen Virtue

24. “As a kid growing up, this was sometimes a little bit intimidating to have a mom who was always, like, speaking up and always saying something that might be kind of controversial.” — Susan Wojcicki

25. “In a way, that’s really reassuring. I’m not just a very limited person to not have figured it out at this point. But it’s also intimidating. Well, how long is it going to take before you can have a good time?” — Claire Danes

26. “To be honest, I find going out pretty scary and intimidating. Got all those people checking you out, with only one purpose: hooking up. I’m quite the dork, I’d rather sit home and play Scrabble.” — Wentworth Miller

27. “Coolidge was a federalist. You go back and read him and it’s almost intimidating to write about him because he writes better himself than anyone. He’s one of the best writers as presidents go.” — Amity Shlaes

28. “I don’t think that I would go into the writers’ room because they work really hard and I feel like I’m already working really hard to shoot my part of the show. Also, I haven’t written in a writers’ room before, it’s kinda intimidating to walk in there.” — Mary Elizabeth Ellis

29. “The best advice came from my manager, Anne, who told me to never compare myself to other people and to be true to myself. There’s so many talented people out there in the world of music it can be intimidating, and she taught me to be inspired by talent and not scared of it.” — Roxanne Emery

30. “My writing just kind of exists out there in the air. It’s all sort of intended as spoken, or sung, word. So, to commit them to the page…that way was kind of intimidating to me, yet intriguing, to try to reflect the rhythms and connotations and emotions that you can deliver, speaking-wise, on a page.” — Ani DiFranco

Funny intimidating quotes

These intimidating quotes will bring a smile to your face. So, read the quotes and have fun.

31. “The only thing more intimidating than a huge international film star is your mother-in-law.” — Benjamin Walker

32. “I think every role is always exciting and intimidating. I’ve never had a role where I wasn’t intimidated by it.” — Felicia Day

33. “Performing in front of a live audience can be pretty intimidating, so having a full head of hair was important to me.” — Joey Fatone

34. “They’re intimidating the networks and levying these fines, so the networks are not sure of what they can or can’t do.” — Barry Levinson

35. “I don’t ever wanna come across too intimidating, so as long as I look like you can come up and give me a hug, that’s good.” — Jessica Simpson

36. “For the longest time, I never thought I was intimidating to guys, but I’m kind of finding out that maybe there is some tiny thread of intimidation.” — Beverley Mitchell

37. “What’s interesting is a man with no facial hair is less intimidating than a man with facial hair, and a man who is bald is more intimidating than a man with hair.” — Bryan Cranston

38. “I’m sure that when my daughter will bring home her first boyfriend I’ll? be so intimidating that he’ll run away, but embarrassing as well, just to have a bit of fun.” — Robbie Williams

39. “I do want to work on writing, because writing’s a skill. Writing is something that you can train yourself to know better. To know yourself better. And it’s intimidating as hell.” — Kristen Stewart

40. “This was my first novel [The Dissemblers]. I’ve never seriously written short stories, and actually find short stories much more intimidating as an art form than novels.” — Liza Campbell

Some other interesting intimidating quotes

Here are some interesting, intimidating quotes you will love to read and share.

41. “Silence can be intimidating, sometimes provocative, sometimes a form of resistance because it dislocates.” — Elia Suleiman

42. “Stage is much more intimidating than going before the cameras, because you can really screw up, and can’t do a retake.” — Daniel Radcliffe

43. “Taking a song and bringing it to life in a professional recording studio can be an intimidating process at first; I know it certainly was for me.” — Colbie Caillat

44. “Those children who are beaten will in turn give beatings, those who are intimidated will be intimidating, those who are humiliated will impose humiliation.” — Alice Miller

45. “The purpose of writing is to inflate weak ideas, obscure pure reasoning, and inhibit clarity. With a little practice, writing can be an intimidating and impenetrable fog!” — Bill Watterson

46. “Of course I am not worried about intimidating men. The type of man who will be intimidated by me is exactly the type of man I have no interest in.” — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

47. “Some of these guys wear beards to make them look intimidating, but they don’t look so tough when they have to deliver the ball. Their abilities and their attitudes don’t back up their beards.” — Don Drysdale

48. “I don’t want to succumb to the idea that for the generation, or generations, raised on television, the text is irrelevant or so intimidating that they won’t deal with it. If you teach, you see this is not true. It may be that newer generations do not worship the text as some of their elders do.” — Adrienne Rich

49. “I think in the end, when you’re famous, people like to narrow you down to a few personality traits. I think I’ve just become this ambitious, say-whatever’s-on-her-mind, intimidating person. And that’s part of my personality, but it’s certainly not anywhere near the whole thing.” — Madonna Ciccone

50. “Friends can be incredible sometimes, but have you ever had a friend that can be really annoying or really mean to you? Friends shouldn’t stab you in the back. Have you ever wondered if your friend has ever said stuff about you to their other friends? It gets pretty intimidating sometimes to think about that.” — Austin Mahone