fearsome

adjective

fear·​some ˈfir-səm 

1

a

: causing fear

a fearsome monster

b

: intense, extreme

fearsome determination

2

: timid, timorous

fearsomely adverb

fearsomeness noun

Synonyms of fearsome

• formidable
• terrifying
• frightening
• scary
• horrible
• terrible
• intimidating

Examples of fearsome in a Sentence

at night the child would always imagine that there were fearsome monsters lurking under his bed

after working all afternoon in the hot sun, I had developed a fearsome thirst

Recent Examples on the Web

Angelo lives two totally separate lives—fearsome NYC hitman and sleepy upstate Cooperstown photocopier salesman and father. —Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 31 Dec. 2025

From the Civil War battlegrounds of Gettysburg to the birthplace of the fearsome Dracula in Transylvania, this Travel Channel show proves that Bagans and his team shy away from no haunted location. —Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025

Build it into one of three poseable figures, including a beautiful horse, fearsome bear, or gentle deer, then play, display, and rebuild them all over again. —Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025

That ‘loan’ followed us around like an albatross for decades and grew into a fearsome amount. —Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

fear entry 1 + -some entry 1

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

fearsome

adjective

fear·​some ˈfi(ə)r-səm 

1

: causing fear

2

: timid

fearsomely adverb

fearsomeness noun