fearsome

adjective

fear·​some ˈfir-səm How to pronounce fearsome (audio)
1
a
: causing fear
a fearsome monster
b
: intense, extreme
fearsome determination
2
fearsomely adverb
fearsomeness noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rihanna’s Navy, now lost at sea due to her complete inability to release new music, was among the most fearsome. Choire Sicha, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025 Regardless, with your trusty pulse rifle, blasting through the horde never gets too stale, and the 'bullet-sponginess' some have criticized actually feels right for monsters that are meant to be fearsome. Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2025 However, the Texans boast one of the NFL's most fearsome defenses. Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025 Then, in February, the 10-day Carnival fills the streets with music, parades, and inventive costumes featuring giant handmade masks that represent fearsome creatures, which scare away winter spirits, or joyful beings celebrating their retreat, dating back to ancient pagan customs. AFAR Media, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fearsome

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fearsome was in 1768

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fearsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fearsome. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

fearsome

adjective
fear·​some ˈfi(ə)r-səm How to pronounce fearsome (audio)
1
: causing fear
2
: timid
fearsomely adverb
fearsomeness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fearsome

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!