redoubtable
Americanadjective
-
to be feared; formidable
-
worthy of respect
Other Word Forms
- redoubtableness noun
- redoubtably adverb
Etymology
Origin of redoubtable
First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English redoutable, from Middle French, equivalent to redout(er) “to fear” ( re- re- + douter “to fear, doubt” ) + -able “be capable of”; doubt, -able
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.
Jackson’s way with words was always redoubtable, as was his comedic timing.
From Salon • Feb. 22, 2026
Abramović is "redoubtable, indefatigable, brave and extreme", he wrote.
From BBC • Sep. 20, 2023
“The Hours” — a new opera based on the 1998 novel and the 2002 film it inspired — features a redoubtable trio of prima donnas.
From New York Times • Nov. 23, 2022
The wave of another magic wand passes over Prospero’s enchanted isle, courtesy of a real magician — the redoubtable Teller, of Penn and Teller renown.
From Washington Post • Sep. 8, 2022
He never was to them the mean whining deity of the Iliad, but magnificent in shining armor, redoubtable, invincible.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
