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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of formidable
There is no shame in losing to a formidable India side who could already be considered one of the best and most powerful teams in the 21-year history of T20 international cricket.
—
Paul Newman, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The Roman army still looked formidable for years afterward.
—Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
There was but one obstacle, hockey’s most formidable team, the Colorado Avalanche, who dispatched their hosts, 5-1, to complete a SoCal sweep on consecutive nights.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026
Rodriguez’s credits span prestige television and musical theater, and her casting adds another layer of depth to an already formidable ensemble.
—Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for formidable
Paul Newman, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The Roman army still looked formidable for years afterward.
—Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
There was but one obstacle, hockey’s most formidable team, the Colorado Avalanche, who dispatched their hosts, 5-1, to complete a SoCal sweep on consecutive nights.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026
Rodriguez’s credits span prestige television and musical theater, and her casting adds another layer of depth to an already formidable ensemble.
—Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for formidable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formidable
Adjective
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The frantic energy, the emotional volatility, the crazy eyes — Metcalf uses every tool in her acting arsenal to turn a cheap plot twist into the most terrifying adversary Sidney faces.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
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My mom was around at the time and told me stories about what that was like, just obviously terrifying.—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Mascherano said his second-half lineup change was a difficult one to make.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 Mar. 2026
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The winners said the warmer-than-normal conditions made a challenging course even more difficult.—
Bo Evans,
CBS News,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Vonn badly injured her left leg in a frightening crash in the Olympic downhill and won't be able to add points to her seasonal tally, but the American standout still leads the way with 400 points after two wins and three more podium results.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Feb. 2026
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Friends reported that his pupils, which doubled in size during an attack, were frightening.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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According to Hermeus, developing aircraft capable of such speeds remains one of the most challenging areas of aerospace engineering.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Subscribe now Kennedy’s girls basketball team continued to show its growth with freshman Ta’Niya Paul on Tuesday during a challenging Division IV first-round game in the CIF Southern California Regional.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But for the audience the scariest revelation in the conversation isn’t his dogmatism.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
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Dogs often learn from a young age that water isn’t scary.—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Finales can be tough, given how viewers chime in on social media.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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With the Royals negotiations collapsing with Kansas, the state may be able to get away with a tougher negotiating position.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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So many terrible things happen that the reader develops a kind of flinch, bracing for the next calamity whenever there is a brief lull in the misery.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
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My actions were selfish; my actions were terrible.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
While minimally invasive procedures have improved cardiac care, the heart’s complex anatomy and constant motion require rigorous hands-on training to reduce procedural errors.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
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Samuels has offered up his own priorities, including safe, academically rigorous and truly integrated schools.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Formidable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formidable. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
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