formidable
Americanadjective
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causing fear, apprehension, or dread.
a formidable opponent.
- Antonyms:
- pleasant
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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
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arousing or likely to inspire fear or dread
-
extremely difficult to defeat, overcome, manage, etc
a formidable problem
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tending to inspire awe or admiration because of great size, strength, excellence, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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superformidableadjective
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formidablenessnoun
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superformidablyadverb
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quasi-formidablyadverb
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unformidablyadverb
-
quasi-formidableadjective
-
nonformidablyadverb
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unformidableadjective
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nonformidabilitynoun
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formidablyadverb
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unformidablenessnoun
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superformidablenessnoun
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formidabilitynoun
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nonformidablenessnoun
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nonformidableadjective
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
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Words from "The Avengers"
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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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.
Mi Hermano Ramon, for Mark Glatt, was fourth; Balnikov, trained by Phil D’Amato was 10th and Formidable Man, for Michael McCarthy was 12th and last.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2025
Formidable pirates though they were, Captain Raphael Semmes and his crew were spooked by the sea they encountered that January evening.
From Scientific American • Jul. 23, 2022
Formidable center backs Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini are still holding the fort, like they have been for more than a decade, and Italy has conceded only two goals so far.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 5, 2021
Formidable influence on British post-war music & beyond, not only jazz - blues, skiffle, rock.
From BBC • Mar. 3, 2021
The theory itself, of which the Morning Post's "Formidable Sect" is the latest product, is at least three centuries old.
From The myth of the Jewish menace in world affairs or, The truth about the forged protocols of the elders of Zion by Wolf, Lucien
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.
