formidable

American  

[fawr-mi-duh-buhl, fawr-mid-uh-buhl] / ˈfɔr mɪ də bəl, ˌfɔrˈmɪd ə bəl /

adjective

1. causing fear, apprehension, or dread.

   a formidable opponent.

   Synonyms:

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

   Antonyms:

   pleasant

2. of discouraging or awesome strength, size, difficulty, etc.; intimidating.

   a formidable problem.

3. arousing feelings of awe or admiration because of grandeur, strength, etc.

4. of great strength; forceful; powerful.

   formidable opposition to the proposal.

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formidable British  

/ ˈfɔːmɪdəbəl /

adjective

1. arousing or likely to inspire fear or dread

2. extremely difficult to defeat, overcome, manage, etc

   a formidable problem

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

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Other Word Forms

• formidability noun
• formidableness noun
• formidably adverb
• nonformidability noun
• nonformidable adjective
• nonformidableness noun
• nonformidably adverb
• quasi-formidable adjective
• quasi-formidably adverb
• superformidable adjective
• superformidableness noun
• superformidably adverb
• unformidable adjective
• unformidableness noun
• unformidably adverb

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

Related Words

• awesome
• dangerous
• daunting
• dire
• dreadful
• fierce
• imposing
• intimidating
• menacing
• terrific