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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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
These are two of the most fearsome pass-rush units in the NFL, with a bit of extra gamesmanship now under their belts.
—
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025
Motivated by Friede’s fearsome Charizard and with almost as much lust for adventure as his trainer Roy, this little fireball (evolved in season two to Crocalor) wants to be the very best, like no one ever was.
—Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for fearsome
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025
Motivated by Friede’s fearsome Charizard and with almost as much lust for adventure as his trainer Roy, this little fireball (evolved in season two to Crocalor) wants to be the very best, like no one ever was.
—Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for fearsome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fearsome
Adjective
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As the day wears on, the crowd swells to a formidable throng.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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If host Point Loma was going to stay unbeaten and advance to the Division 1 quarterfinal with a win over Mater Dei Catholic on Friday night, Pointers head coach Ryan Price was sure his formidable defense would have a major hand in it.—
Kevin J. Farmer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Gas and dust fall into a rotating disk around the black hole, and as the debris spirals more rapidly, it becomes superheated, releasing intense radiation.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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True Ipomea batatas has bright orange flesh (although modern varieties have much more intense colors than older forms), occasionally white and rarely purple.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Wonkier reads, to be sure—but these both provide useful context for those looking to understand why the Democratic Party can be so timid before numbers.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
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In 2024, the Harris-Walz campaign seemed timid, participating in few press conferences and potentially adversarial interviews.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Episode 3 confirms that this is no mere nod to another Stephen King classic, when the young Black soldier showcases his unique powers in a thrilling and terrifying sequence.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
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That is, until Episode 3, when the terrifying harlequin seems to finally appear from the pitch black depths of a crypt inside the Derry cemetery.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In intra-party diplo-speak, that was about as fierce a burn as can come from the party’s central committee.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
10 Nov. 2025
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The city’s fierce weather pattern is fueled by the same Arctic air mass expected to sweep through the eastern two-thirds of the US this week.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Fascinating albeit kinda scary to watch though.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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Kim also recalled her mother allegedly threatening her father’s life, and on one scary occasion, Betty drove her car into the new home Dan shared with their children.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Because to accept Douglas Kelley's conclusions that the capacity for the most unspeakable atrocity is latent in our own reality is shockingly quotidian and perhaps too frightening to hear; a responsibility too terrible to accept and yet too prescient to ignore.—
NPR,
NPR,
11 Nov. 2025
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The 3-point shooting won’t hold, but even being around the top 10 in accuracy would make this scary Rockets squad even more frightening.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Between 2022 and 2023, a team from Arkeologerna conducted an intensive investigation in the southernmost area of the former city.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
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The orbiters are expected to linger in a holding pattern before heading for Mars next year when the red planet is better aligned for a less fuel-intensive journey.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fearsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fearsome. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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