1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a formidable, irascible old man who frightened the neighborhood children
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
running a marathon is a formidable undertaking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of formidable
Graham herself comes in mostly through voiceover, her words read by another of today’s formidable performers, Meryl Streep.
—
Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026
Colón will play Miguel, a dutiful cowboy who is quiet but formidable.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
The high-rise, which connects to Salesforce Park via a skybridge, only has a few floors left that are available for leasing — a formidable turnaround given that its entire office component was languishing on the sublease market less than three years ago.
—Laura Waxmann, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Mar. 2026
Josh Moore will be formidable competition for that starting job.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for formidable
Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026
Colón will play Miguel, a dutiful cowboy who is quiet but formidable.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
The high-rise, which connects to Salesforce Park via a skybridge, only has a few floors left that are available for leasing — a formidable turnaround given that its entire office component was languishing on the sublease market less than three years ago.
—Laura Waxmann, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Mar. 2026
Josh Moore will be formidable competition for that starting job.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for formidable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formidable
Adjective
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What was John thinking before the surface of the water appeared before his windshield, rushing forward at terrifying speed?—
Jeffrey Eugenides,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
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As The Boys presents a terrifying dystopia under Homelander (Antony Starr) in the fifth and final season, Eric Kripke recently noted that any narrative similarities to our current dystopia are purely coincidental.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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There were also high-arcing 3-pointers that touched nothing but the net, a difficult runner through contact that went in, and the kind of gravity that gave Kristaps Porzingis a layup just by cutting into space while the big man dove.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2026
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Some things in life are difficult.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
6 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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Without adequate feedback, support and professional development, employees are likely to seek a more challenging environment.—
Ashton Jackson,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2026
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Engage your brain through reading and intellectually challenging tasks.—
Rob Williams,
EverydayHealth.com,
8 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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The judge assigned to Amin’s case was Iman Afshari, known in Tehran for his tough sentences—a reputation that led the European Union to place him on a blacklist, in January, for human-rights abuses.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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Two sisters in Big Bear are facing one of the toughest moments in their lives.—
Zach Boetto,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This is a terrible blow against reform and the Dems should be ashamed.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Here are five novels that have been tied to terrible crimes.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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No pharmaceutical company, no academic medical center, and no government agency has found the existing preclinical data compelling enough to fund a rigorous human trial in over 30 years.—
Vikas Patel,
STAT,
3 Apr. 2026
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Every personal finance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of personal finance products.—
Layla Melendez,
CNBC,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Formidable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formidable. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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