1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a formidable, irascible old man who frightened the neighborhood children
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
running a marathon is a formidable undertaking
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of formidable
Arnold has fought some formidable foes in his career, but hordes of desperate parents doing last-minute holiday shopping are, strangely, among the most stressful.
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Sezín Devi Koehler, EW.com, 6 Dec. 2024
Together mother and daughter make a formidable team, and recently Marimar was honored as a Sonoma County Icon for blazing the trail as both a female winery owner as well as a visionary for planting one of the first vineyards so close to the Pacific Ocean.
—Liz Thach, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
Throughout her short but formidable career, Consani has walked in shows for some of the biggest luxury brands in the world, including Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Burberry and Jacquemus.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 3 Dec. 2024
Hayat Tahrir Al Sham The most prominent and formidable one of those rebel groups is Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), also known as the Organization for the Liberation of the Levant.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for formidable 
Sezín Devi Koehler, EW.com, 6 Dec. 2024
Together mother and daughter make a formidable team, and recently Marimar was honored as a Sonoma County Icon for blazing the trail as both a female winery owner as well as a visionary for planting one of the first vineyards so close to the Pacific Ocean.
—Liz Thach, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
Throughout her short but formidable career, Consani has walked in shows for some of the biggest luxury brands in the world, including Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Burberry and Jacquemus.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 3 Dec. 2024
Hayat Tahrir Al Sham The most prominent and formidable one of those rebel groups is Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), also known as the Organization for the Liberation of the Levant.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for formidable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formidable
Adjective
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Three years later, Dex's death deals a major blow to several key characters on the long-running soap, potentially introduces a terrifying new killer, and leaves behind plenty of questions as to how the series will proceed without him.Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 13 Dec. 2024
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In the early hours of New Year's Day 2021 in Canton, Georgia, Morgan Metzer was awakened to a terrifying sight.Michael Loftus, CBS News, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The day of his funeral was an incredibly difficult one for his grieving widow Barbara, their four adult children, including Kordisch Tucker, and his grandchildren.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
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Weightiness in Its Black and White Cinematography Co-star Nicholas Hoult had his own experience dealing with these difficult scene partners and decided to make the best of it by having fun with some of his fellow players, including Bill Skarsgård, who plays the blood-thirsty creature Count Orlok.Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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That Daniel Penny acted to defend others from a frightening figure on the train was of no legal relevance, from the prosecution’s point of view, given that Neely did not have a weapon or threaten a specific passenger directly.Adam Iscoe, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
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However, Humbert decided to go it alone and ended up being the victim of quite a frightening shark attack.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The hospitality industry grapples with a challenging post-pandemic recovery and mounting environmental pressures.Christopher Marquis, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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Choosing the best baked ham online can be challenging—there are glazed and non-glazed options, spiral-cut and whole, boneless and bone-in, and large or small hams.Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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History says such a two-year performance in itself is neither a scary portent nor a ticket to further riches.Michael Santoli, CNBC, 14 Dec. 2024
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With scary precision, the playwright captures the delusion that roots itself in families who use faith to control.Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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In a time when people approach political, social and economic issues with a different set of information and fake news is rampant, the best way to do that is to approach tough conversations with stories rather than facts.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
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The clients’ storefronts are positioned to succeed in a sometimes tough marketplace by focusing on exclusivity and quality.Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Jack McBrayer plays a flustered resort concierge who delivers the terrible news to two bridezilla-esque adults who won’t be walking down the aisle in white but are still very invested in the nuptials.Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
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Food is terrible, the vibe is off, absolutely trash.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The legal profession has long been recognized for its rigorous standards and competitive environment.Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
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The finding that Israel has perpetrated genocide is a conclusion based on painstaking research and rigorous legal analysis.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near formidable
Cite this Entry
“Formidable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formidable. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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