formidable
Americanadjective
-
causing fear, apprehension, or dread.
a formidable opponent.
- Antonyms:
- pleasant
-
of discouraging or awesome strength, size, difficulty, etc.; intimidating.
a formidable problem.
-
arousing feelings of awe or admiration because of grandeur, strength, etc.
-
of great strength; forceful; powerful.
formidable opposition to the proposal.
adjective
-
arousing or likely to inspire fear or dread
-
extremely difficult to defeat, overcome, manage, etc
a formidable problem
-
tending to inspire awe or admiration because of great size, strength, excellence, etc
Other Word Forms
-
formidabilitynoun
-
formidablenessnoun
-
formidablyadverb
-
nonformidabilitynoun
-
nonformidableadjective
-
nonformidablenessnoun
-
nonformidablyadverb
-
quasi-formidableadjective
-
quasi-formidablyadverb
-
superformidableadjective
-
superformidablenessnoun
-
superformidablyadverb
-
unformidableadjective
-
unformidablenessnoun
-
unformidablyadverb
Etymology
Origin of formidable
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from French, from Latin formīdābilis “causing fear,” from formīd(āre) “to fear” + -ābilis -able
Explanation
People who are formidable inspire fear and respect thanks to their size, or special ability, or unusual qualities. If you're a wildly popular celebrity, you probably don't go anywhere without a formidable bodyguard. What's interesting about formidable is that we often tend to use it about things that are simultaneously scary and impressive. A formidable opponent is almost by definition a worthy one; a formidable challenge is almost by definition one worth rising to. Not surprisingly, this word is derived from the Latin formidare, "to fear."
Vocabulary lists containing formidable
List 3
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Words from "The Avengers"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
"Kank coexisted with larger carnivores such as Maip macrothorax, a formidable megaraptorid dinosaur more than 10 metres long, which may have been capable of preying upon it," Dr. Motta adds.
From Science Daily • May 29, 2026
Faison: My daughter was playing a volleyball game against a very formidable opponent.
From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026
What a formidable attacking trio Salah, Firmino and Mane proved to be.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
China is regarded as another formidable player, though much of its quantum development effort remains under wraps.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
Not surprisingly, these feelings constitute a formidable block to numeracy.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
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.
