1
as in formidable
causing fear
at night the child would always imagine that there were fearsome monsters lurking under his bed
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
after working all afternoon in the hot sun, I had developed a fearsome thirst
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3
as in timid
easily frightened
the more fearsome of the two children would only peer at the guests from a distance
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fearsome
During the opening series of the season against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tatiana Tate was called upon to blow the horn as the fearsome fireballer made his way through the outfield to the mound.
—
Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
But Loyer and Smith in particular are fearsome threats from outside.
—Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2026
Today, two small new volcanoes are growing out of its bay, and another one called Kolumbo — capable of producing fearsome tsunamis and clouds of suffocating gases — lurks underwater just offshore.
—Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
The Clinic, first published as a pamphlet in 1998, was named in honor of the London Clinic, where Pinochet was held after his arrest, reflecting an effort to show the formerly fearsome dictator as an old man in decline.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fearsome
Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
But Loyer and Smith in particular are fearsome threats from outside.
—Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2026
Today, two small new volcanoes are growing out of its bay, and another one called Kolumbo — capable of producing fearsome tsunamis and clouds of suffocating gases — lurks underwater just offshore.
—Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
The Clinic, first published as a pamphlet in 1998, was named in honor of the London Clinic, where Pinochet was held after his arrest, reflecting an effort to show the formerly fearsome dictator as an old man in decline.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fearsome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fearsome
Adjective
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In my view, the key obstacle to creating future generations of nonsmokers is that people do not fully understand how dangerous smoking is and do not realize the formidable influence of the tobacco industry.—
Marie Helweg-Larsen,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
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Motivated Mars activates your 6th House of Well-being as of today, motivating you to reconfigure routines and direct your formidable focus toward the tasks that truly count.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Finally, consistent physical activity is more important than intense exercise.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
NBC news,
8 Apr. 2026
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The songs on the last few Bon Iver albums often sound like excerpts from a longer dialogue, at turns offhanded and intense, among collaborators.—
Mitch Therieau,
Pitchfork,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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One of the earliest of American masculinity influencers was President Theodore Roosevelt, who touted his own transformation from a timid, effeminate man – local presses mocked him in his early career – to a rugged outdoorsman.—
Miriam Eve Mora,
The Conversation,
3 Apr. 2026
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Sergio Romano and Pierpaolo Capovilla star as two fifty-something men from Italy’s northern Veneto area who befriend a timid student from Naples, played by Filippo Scotti.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Some of his acts are dangerous or terrifying.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
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In 1972, Ann-Margret fell 22 feet from a stage during a performance — a terrifying moment that could have ended her career.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Some diehard Beliebers—Justin’s fiercest fans—were already camped out near the front barricades.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
12 Apr. 2026
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Competition is fierce within China’s tech sector.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The conditions in Domiz are not scary as a sign of what the future might be like for everyone.—
Shanti Escalante-De Mattei,
ARTnews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
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While weaponizing hate has been around almost as long as humanity itself, this new version is particularly scary because the checks and balances that were put into place in previous generations have been removed.—
Steven Burg,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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How about the less-frightening scenarios?—
Craig MacLellan,
Boston Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
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Now, parents who haven’t experienced the frightening effects of the highly contagious and fast-moving infection are increasingly opting out of vaccinating their kids against Hib.—
Erika Edwards,
NBC news,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But maintaining security over the strait would require a high-risk, resource-intensive operation that could be a yearslong American commitment.—
Aamer Madhani,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
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The timetable that Kaufmann laid out Wednesday night envisions intensive design work through the end of this year, with construction starting in 2027.—
Bruce Finley,
Denver Post,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fearsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fearsome. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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