1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a formidable, irascible old man who frightened the neighborhood children
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
running a marathon is a formidable undertaking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of formidable
Shockingly, after spending 24 years coaching some of the NFL’s best, the enigmatic Ryan took the Trojans’ linebackers job in mid-January to complete one of the more formidable staffs in the country.
—
Luca Evans, Orange County Register, 7 Feb. 2025
During the Clash, Hamlin's performance was formidable.
—Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
The female warrior Tiger Lily is now a more formidable match for Peter.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 6 Feb. 2025
Throw in two months of complete darkness — plus hungry polar bears — and the vision of this Arctic village becomes even more formidable.
—Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for formidable 
Luca Evans, Orange County Register, 7 Feb. 2025
During the Clash, Hamlin's performance was formidable.
—Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
The female warrior Tiger Lily is now a more formidable match for Peter.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 6 Feb. 2025
Throw in two months of complete darkness — plus hungry polar bears — and the vision of this Arctic village becomes even more formidable.
—Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for formidable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formidable
Adjective
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Meanwhile, Irving spent the night venturing off on his own, falling asleep in the forest with terrifying hallucinations.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
7 Feb. 2025
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In its place is the Terran Empire, a brutal and colonizing force that encapsulates the terrifying darkness of this alternative world.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Nevertheless, the offer could make OpenAI’s reorganization plans more difficult – and significantly more expensive.—
David Goldman,
CNN,
11 Feb. 2025
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The only thing that could make persuading a group of pandemic skeptics to care about an infectious-disease outbreak more difficult is your boss—the president of the United States—undercutting your raison d’être.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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What ensues is an incredibly artful dance between frightening violence and slapstick humor that reveals both Ani’s inner steel and Igor’s integrity—two strong hooks into the film as a whole.—
Antonia Blyth,
Deadline,
4 Feb. 2025
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For someone living in that position, life can be frightening and overwhelming.—
Bahíyyah Maroon,
Orlando Sentinel,
1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But Kirby and Danielle said the past year has been incredibly challenging.—
Samantha Moilanen,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Feb. 2025
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His back nine was particularly challenging as the weather conditions deteriorated, resulting in one bogey and no birdies.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This is scary data for Rancho Palos Verdes residents: last year, officials warned that more than 100 homes in the community were at risk of slipping into the ocean.—
Kristan Hawkins,
Newsweek,
7 Feb. 2025
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Listen to this article These days, Andrew’s Mason Moore can be a pretty scary sight for an opponent.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Still, the Steelers have some tough decisions to make for their roster, and the team has already made a big one by letting Smith go.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
15 Feb. 2025
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Both are now promising to stand up to Trump and make tough decisions to make Canada more resilient.—
Stephen Maher,
TIME,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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There have been plenty of terrible Oscar hosts over the years but this was a car crash that could easily have been avoided.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2025
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Secrets bob to the surface like drowning victims from the deep until nobody — not even the reader — can easily separate the terrible truth from even more terrible fictions.—
M.L. Rio,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Using rigorous logical frameworks and Turing-computable methods, BigGraph ensures trustworthy, adaptable outcomes that align with business needs.—
Jason Phillips,
USA TODAY,
15 Feb. 2025
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That is thanks to many decades of rigorous bank supervision and regulation, as well as federal deposit insurance.—
Felix Salmon,
Axios,
14 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near formidable
Cite this Entry
“Formidable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formidable. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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