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
Fears quickly grew that the family might have been washed away by the fearsome sea.
—
Todd Symons, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
And then there’s Morton, who entered the game against the ChiSox sitting at 199 – nine more than fearsome lefty Randy Johnson, 13 more than crafty knuckleballer Tim Wakefield and 29 more than award namesake Cy Young – thanks to four HBPs as a Tiger.
—Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 8 Sep. 2025
That gives the wearer a look akin to the shark's infamously fearsome dorsal fin, along with plenty of extra thrust and speed.
—New Atlas, 8 Sep. 2025
All of whom flock to Monsignor Wicks, drawn by his sophistry and fearsome bully-pulpit magnetism.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fearsome
Todd Symons, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
And then there’s Morton, who entered the game against the ChiSox sitting at 199 – nine more than fearsome lefty Randy Johnson, 13 more than crafty knuckleballer Tim Wakefield and 29 more than award namesake Cy Young – thanks to four HBPs as a Tiger.
—Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 8 Sep. 2025
That gives the wearer a look akin to the shark's infamously fearsome dorsal fin, along with plenty of extra thrust and speed.
—New Atlas, 8 Sep. 2025
All of whom flock to Monsignor Wicks, drawn by his sophistry and fearsome bully-pulpit magnetism.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fearsome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fearsome
Adjective
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If the past offers any guide, however, Havana will instead continue to rely on its formidable security apparatus to repress is citizens, while privatizing in ways that do not threaten the power and privileges of the elite.—
Joseph J. Gonzalez,
The Conversation,
3 Oct. 2025
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The West will be formidable, as multiple teams could make their mark this season.—
Ricardo Klein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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During periods of intense rainfall, the risk of flooding increases, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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Safdie perceptively locates the protagonist’s troubling inner contradictions—the atavistic fury that drives him to compete and the intense self-control that competition demands—but dramatizes such outer crises as opioid addiction and conflict with his girlfriend (Emily Blunt) only schematically.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Even Reach's multiplayer took bold new steps, with the introduction of new mechanics and timid moves towards player classes.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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The timid girl, the ruffian guy.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The device sounded terrifying – an apparently new, nuclear capable IRBM, fired with multiple conventional warheads, that the Kremlin boasted could rip through European defenses.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
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He’s supposed to be a terrifying mirror to our discontent.—
Emily Temple
September 30,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The bond between the two men was at the center of a fierce political conflict that spread in Washington, San Salvador and Miami.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
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And Kailey Agpaoa is goofy and funny as Doctor Sister, a self-sacrificing but fierce young woman who has given up her dreams to care of her aging parents while her older sister has a husband and medical career.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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While some corn mazes are perfect for all ages and include activities especially for younger kids, others are more grown-up and may prove too scary or challenging for little ones.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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The new generation can’t afford to stay in the game, which is scary.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The steaks cost about $40, compared to a frightening $60-$70 at chain restaurants.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Sep. 2025
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And that’s kind of a frightening thing.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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All applicants must be over 18 and able to attend an in-person intensive from May 27th to June 1st, 2026, at a private resort in Lake Arrowhead, California.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
26 Sep. 2025
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What To Know The Lawsuit A yeshiva is a Jewish religious school, typically for boys, that focuses on intensive study of sacred texts such as the Torah and Talmud, with varying amounts of general secular education depending on the community.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fearsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fearsome. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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