EMOTION THESAURUS

INTIMIDATION



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HELPFUL TIP:

The inner landscape of your characters (especially your protagonist) is the lifeblood that runs through your story. Emotions, and how they're expressed, are tied deeply to a character’s personality and which positive traits and negative traits will manifest. To bring your readers in deeper through shared experience, consider filtering the setting descriptions through your character’s emotions while also exploring important colors, textures, and shapes through his or her senses.
DEFINITION:
Feeling afraid or timid due to a real or perceived threat



SIMILAR EMOTIONS:
INSECURITY, FEAR

NOTES:
When someone is feeling intimidated, their responses will vary depending on whether they lean toward a fight-flight-or-freeze-type response to threats. This entry contains some of each of these reactions.



PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS:
The body shrinking in on itself
The posture sagging
Stepping back from the perceived threat
A darting gaze; not looking people in the eye
A brittle laugh
Hands jammed in the pockets
Arms crossed, hands clenching the upper arms
Hiding behind one's hair, a hoodie, another person, etc.
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INTERNAL SENSATIONS:
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MENTAL RESPONSES:
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CUES OF ACUTE OR LONG TERM INTIMIDATION:
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MAY ESCALATE TO:
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CUES OF SUPPRESSED INTIMIDATION:
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MAY DE-ESCALATE TO:
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ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS:
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