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

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

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

Amid the ferocity, the Grant Parkers always sounded whetted and clean, moving through the works’ shifting meters with fearsome precision. —Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025

In that period, Ramirez was perhaps the most fearsome right-handed hitter ever to wear the Red Sox uniform. —Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025

The audience's imagination provided a far more fearsome shark than Spielberg could have. —Jim Beckerman, USA Today, 16 June 2025

Families have been drawn to the underdog character of Hiccup who unexpectedly befriends (and trains) his people's most fearsome enemy: a dragon. —Devonne Goode, Parents, 12 June 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