formidable
Use Formidable in a sentence
mɪ adjective
1.
causing fear, apprehension, or dread: a formidable opponent.
2.
of discouraging or awesome strength, size, difficulty, etc.; intimidating: a formidable problem.
3.
arousing feelings of awe or admiration because of grandeur, strength, etc.
4.
of great strength; forceful; powerful: formidable opposition to the proposal.
Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < French < Latin formīdābilis causing fear, equivalent to formīd- (stem of formīdāre to fear) + -ābilis -able
1400–50; late Middle English < French < Latin formīdābilis causing fear, equivalent to formīd- (stem of formīdāre to fear) + -ābilis -able
Related forms
for·mi·da·ble·ness, for·mi·da·bil·i·ty, noun
for·mi·da·bly, adverb
non·for·mi·da·bil·i·ty, noun
non·for·mi·da·ble, adjective
non·for·mi·da·ble·ness, noun
non·for·mi·da·bly, adverb
qua·si-for·mi·da·ble, adjective
qua·si-for·mi·da·bly, adverb
su·per·for·mi·da·ble, adjective
su·per·for·mi·da·ble·ness, noun
su·per·for·mi·da·bly, adverb
un·for·mi·da·ble, adjective
un·for·mi·da·ble·ness, noun
un·for·mi·da·bly, adverb
Synonyms
1. dreadful, appalling, threatening, menacing, fearful, frightful, horrible.
1. dreadful, appalling, threatening, menacing, fearful, frightful, horrible.
Antonyms
1. pleasant.
1. pleasant.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To formidable
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Formidable
is an SAT word you need to know.
So is cynical. Does it mean:
| selflessness |
| distrusting the motives of others |
Collins
World English Dictionary
formidable (ˈfɔːmɪdəbəl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | arousing or likely to inspire fear or dread |
| 2. | extremely difficult to defeat, overcome, manage, etc: a formidable problem |
| 3. | tending to inspire awe or admiration because of great size, strength, excellence, etc |
| [C15: from Latin formīdābilis, from formīdāre to dread, from formīdō fear] | |
| formida'bility | |
| —n | |
| 'formidableness | |
| —n | |
| 'formidably | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
formidable
c.1500, from M.Fr. formidable, from L. formidabilis, from formidare "to fear," from formido "terror, dread." Related: Formidably.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
But global graying offers an even more formidable challenge to less wealthy countries.
Gentlemen in long alpaca coats and carrying formidable marbled note-books walk about with an important air.
Although the bank runs have stopped, it still faces formidable challenges.
To gather its food, the beast juts out its formidable jaws to take in plankton-filled water.
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