fearsome
Americanadjective
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causing fear.
a fearsome noise.
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causing awe or respect.
a fearsome self-confidence.
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afraid; timid.
adjective
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frightening
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timorous; afraid
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fearsome
Vocabulary lists containing fearsome
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Once a fearsome presence in the England dressing room, he is now the most successful coach in the franchise world and has adapted his methods to accommodate the attitude of modern players.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Norway’s Erling Haaland is one of soccer’s most fearsome and competitive stars.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
The plumber was sent to a fearsome maximum-security prison in Eswatini -- formerly known as Swaziland -- where he is still being held without charge a year later.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
This is the most fearsome repertoire in all of pop music, and Nilles supplied its heartbeat and muscle, and most of its nuance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
I sat down and quickly grabbed my leg from the floor as the fearsome nun stood at the door next to my mother and gave us a strange look.
From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
