fearsome

fear·some

adjective \ˈfir-səm\

Definition of FEARSOME

1

a : causing fear <a fearsome monster>

b : intense, extreme <fearsome determination>

2

: timid, timorous

— fear·some·ly adverb

— fear·some·ness noun

Examples of FEARSOME

1. <at night the child would always imagine that there were fearsome monsters lurking under his bed>
2. <after working all afternoon in the hot sun, I had developed a fearsome thirst>

First Known Use of FEARSOME

1768

Related to FEARSOME

Synonyms

alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, forbidding, formidable, frightening, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, shocking, spine-chilling, terrible, terrifying

Antonyms

light, moderate, soft

Related Words

daunting, demoralizing, disconcerting, discouraging, dismaying, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, startling, threatening, troubling, trying, unnerving; bone-chilling, creepy, eerie (also eery), weird; appalling, atrocious, awful, grisly, gruesome (also grewsome), hideous, horrid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarish

Near Antonyms

calming, comforting, consoling, inviting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, reassuring, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing (also tranquillizing); nonintimidating, nonthreatening