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.
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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
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formidabilitynoun
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formidablenessnoun
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nonformidabilitynoun
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nonformidablenessnoun
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superformidablenessnoun
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unformidablenessnoun
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nonformidableadjective
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quasi-formidableadjective
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superformidableadjective
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unformidableadjective
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formidablyadverb
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nonformidablyadverb
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quasi-formidablyadverb
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superformidablyadverb
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unformidablyadverb
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.
Europe's Charley Hull and Lottie Woad will face the formidable pairing of Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz in Friday's opening match of the Solheim Cup in the Netherlands.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
Mr. Davies’s formidable command of his subject is also the book’s weakness: His ambition to encompass so much science sometimes overwhelms the narrative.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are a formidable combination.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
This year's defending champions are Jonathan Jennings from Kentucky, the first men's winner from the USA, and the formidable Lucy Wood from Sheffield who will be hoping for her seventh women's title.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
Powell was armed only with a pickax, but his incredible strength could turn that tool into a formidable weapon.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
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.
