The verb "acobardar" in Spanish means to frighten or intimidate someone to the point where they become hesitant or lose their confidence. It is often used when someone uses threats or fear to diminish another's resolve or to prevent them from taking action.
Él siempre intenta acobardar a sus compañeros con sus comentarios.
He always tries to intimidate his peers with his comments.
No dejes que te acobarden, tú puedes lograrlo.
Don't let them scare you; you can achieve it.
La amenaza del examen final logró acobardar a muchos estudiantes.
The threat of the final exam managed to frighten many students.
The word "acobardar" can often be found in idiomatic expressions, reflecting situations where fear plays a central role. Here are some examples:
No te acobardes ante los desafíos de la vida.
Don't be intimidated by the challenges of life.
A veces, hay que enfrentar lo que nos acobarda con valentía.
Sometimes, we have to face what intimidates us with courage.
Si te acobardan las críticas, nunca avanzarás.
If you let the criticisms scare you, you will never move forward.
El miedo puede acobardar a los más valientes.
Fear can intimidate even the bravest.
Ella se dejó acobardar por lo que dijeron de ella.
She allowed herself to be intimidated by what they said about her.
The term "acobardar" is derived from the combination of the prefix "a-" (indicating direction or tendency) and "cobardar," which is related to "cobardía," meaning cowardice. Essentially, it refers to making someone feel cowardly or timid.
Amedrentar (to frighten)
Antonyms: