formidable

adjective

ˈfȯr-mə-də-bəl How to pronounce formidable (audio)
Definition of formidablenext
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of formidable The governor has his own formidable national fundraising base — thanks in good part to his online trolling and anti-Trump hijinks — and a not-small degree of name recognition across the country. — Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026 Flores is writing new code on how to build a formidable defense, one that disguises blitzes that apply pressure from all angles. — Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026 DeFoe has very limited experience fishing at Lake Hamilton, but his partner Gill is one of the most formidable specialists with forward-facing sonar. — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 27 Sep. 2026 Both EVs share a formidable powertrain specced for serious performance, and feature futuristic styling that wouldn't be out of place in a cyberpunk future. — New Atlas, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for formidable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formidable
  1. terrifying
  2. difficult
  3. frightening
  4. challenging
  5. scary
  6. tough
  7. terrible
  8. rigorous
Adjective
  • Even so, returning to college was terrifying after ongoing health crises led to academic failure.
    — Alexis Lariviere, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The lycanthropy saga, set in an English village in the 13th century, stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as a man who undergoes terrifying transformations into a werewolf each full moon.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • Finding people at high risk of incubating the Bundibugyo virus, also known as contact tracing, has proved difficult in Congo.
    — CONSTANT SAME BAGALWA, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • McKinsey’s data says some of those moves can be difficult for certain workers.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Josh, much of the social media conversation around people seeing The Odyssey in theaters was about the frightening Other Mommy trailer playing ahead of it.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
  • My Broken Brain follows three young survivors through the most frightening days of their lives and the grueling journey back to independence.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • Until now, scientists could measure the total phosphorus preserved in ancient rocks, but determining the share that was actually available to marine life remained challenging.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Alas, its path appears quite challenging, given that Digger earned a C+ CinemaScore from audiences and holds a 51 percent approval from reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of challenging
Adjective
  • Stephens celebrated in the immediate aftermath, and Moore was carted off in a scary scene.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • These jack-o-lantern quesadillas with beans and cheddar are much easier — and less scary.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of scary
Adjective
  • With phones, keys, multi-tools, flashlights, water bottles and charging cables, the modern trouser and jacket pocket has a tough job coping.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Trump’s proclamation would have delayed compliance with the tougher standards from 2027 until 2029, though EPA ultimately repealed them in February.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Platforms prefill a name, email and phone number so a user can submit in one tap without leaving the feed, which is wonderful for a consumer promotion and terrible for a six-figure investment.
    — Jonathan Durante, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Saddled with terrible reviews and negative word-of-mouth, Tom Cruise‘s absurdist dark comedy has cratered at the box office with $8 million in North America and $20 million globally in its first weekend of release.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • Operating-model transformation requires both strategic vision and rigorous accountability, and only finance leaders sit at the intersection of both.
    — James Kavanaugh, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Every personal finance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of personal finance and savings products.
    — Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of rigorous

Browse Nearby Words

formidability
formidable
forming
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Cite this Entry

“Formidable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formidable. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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