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Prepositions after verbs

Intimidate by, into, in, for or at

Intimidate is often used without a preposition, but into and by are common in specific patterns.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are used with intimidate?

Use intimidate someone directly without a preposition. Use intimidate into to show pressure leading to an action. In passive structures, intimidated by names the cause. In, for, and at are usually not standard combinations after intimidate.

The supervisor tried to intimidate the staff.
They were intimidated by his aggressive tone.
She was intimidated into signing the contract.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
intimidate + person

Causing fear or pressure

Intimidate commonly takes a direct object without a preposition.

The gang tried to intimidate witnesses.
He never uses his position to intimidate others.
2
intimidated by + cause

Naming the source of fear

By is common in passive constructions.

Many students feel intimidated by technical language.
She was intimidated by the crowd.
3
intimidate into + action

Forcing someone to do something

Into introduces the action someone is pressured to take.

They intimidated him into withdrawing the complaint.
No employee should be intimidated into silence.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
intimidate by
She was intimidated by the interview panel.
standard passive pattern naming the cause
intimidate into
The scammer intimidated victims into paying money.
shows pressure leading to an action
intimidate in
He felt intimidated in large meetings.
in introduces the situation where intimidation is felt, not a fixed verb pattern
intimidate for
They tried to intimidate him for reporting the issue.
for can express reason, not a standard verb-preposition combination
intimidate at
She felt intimidated at first.
at first is a time expression, not part of the verb pattern

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Adding a preposition before the person

Intimidate directly takes the affected person as an object.

✕ They intimidated at the new employee. ✓ They intimidated the new employee.

Using by in active voice incorrectly

By usually appears in passive structures.

✕ The coach intimidated by the players. ✓ The coach intimidated the players.

Confusing into with for

Into introduces the action someone is pressured to take.

✕ She was intimidated for resigning. ✓ She was intimidated into resigning.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The group tried to intimidate ___ local residents.
2. He was intimidated ___ the formal atmosphere.
3. They intimidated her ___ accepting the deal.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a preposition after intimidate?

Usually no. Intimidate commonly takes a direct object, such as intimidate voters.

When is intimidate by used?

It appears mainly in passive structures, such as intimidated by criticism.

Is intimidate into negative?

Yes. It usually suggests pressure, fear, or coercion leading to an action.

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