formidable

[fawr-mi-duh-buhl]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR formidable ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

causing fear, apprehension, or dread: a formidable opponent.

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.

Origin of formidable

1400–50; late Middle English < French < Latin formīdābilis causing fear, equivalent to formīd- (stem of formīdāre to fear) + -ābilis -able

Related formsfor·mi·da·ble·ness, for·mi·da·bil·i·ty, nounfor·mi·da·bly, adverbnon·for·mi·da·bil·i·ty, nounnon·for·mi·da·ble, adjectivenon·for·mi·da·ble·ness, nounnon·for·mi·da·bly, adverbqua·si-for·mi·da·ble, adjectivequa·si-for·mi·da·bly, adverbsu·per·for·mi·da·ble, adjectivesu·per·for·mi·da·ble·ness, nounsu·per·for·mi·da·bly, adverbun·for·mi·da·ble, adjectiveun·for·mi·da·ble·ness, nounun·for·mi·da·bly, adverb

Can be confusedformative formidable

Synonyms for formidable

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR formidable ON THESAURUS.COM

1. dreadful, appalling, threatening, menacing, fearful, frightful, horrible.

Antonyms for formidable

1. pleasant.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for formidable

dreadful, intimidating, imposing, dangerous, impregnable, terrific, menacing, dire, fierce, daunting, great, tough, impressive, tremendous, arduous, awesome, powerful, onerous, challenging, appalling

Examples from the Web for formidable

Contemporary Examples of formidable

But while the obstacles to evidence-based governance are formidable, they are not insurmountable.
Can the U.S. Government Go Moneyball?
Peter Orszag, Jim Nussle
December 23, 2014
At Michigan, he would be a formidable recruiter, able to evoke the tradition of his former iconic coach, Bo Schembechler.
Is Any College Football Coach Worth $60 Million? Jim Harbaugh Is
Jesse Lawrence
December 20, 2014
She has been formidable from start to finish, and is one of the hardest workers in the company.
William, Kate, and Jay Z’s Favorite Art Star: Alexander Gilkes' World of Rock Stars and Royalty
Tim Teeman
December 10, 2014
Mired in ideological warfare, America faces her most formidable opponent yet— herself.
The Post-Brown and Garner Question: Who ‘Deserves’ to Die?
Goldie Taylor
December 9, 2014
But the settlers are a formidable constituency and felt threatened having all those Palestinians around.
Inside Hebron, Israel’s Heart of Darkness
Michael Tomasky
November 21, 2014

Historical Examples of formidable

We are, however, attributing too much to this formidable power.
Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. I
Francis Augustus Cox
The feeling of a prudent man for an enemy who is too formidable safely to be opposed.
The Devil's Dictionary
Ambrose Bierce
Each measured the other, and they were formidable antagonists, well matched.
The Rock of Chickamauga
Joseph A. Altsheler
We had laid in this formidable implement in hopes of a big muscallunge.
The Forest
Stewart Edward White
The thicket, before so formidable, amounted to nothing at all.
The Forest
Stewart Edward White

British Dictionary definitions for formidable

formidable

adjective

arousing or likely to inspire fear or dread

extremely difficult to defeat, overcome, manage, etca formidable problem

tending to inspire awe or admiration because of great size, strength, excellence, etc

Derived Formsformidability or formidableness, nounformidably, adverb

Word Origin for formidable

C15: from Latin formīdābilis, from formīdāre to dread, from formīdō fear

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for formidable

adj.

mid-15c., from Middle French formidable (15c.), from Latin formidabilis "causing fear, terrible," from formidare "to fear," from formido "fearfulness, fear, terror, dread." Related: Formidably.