Definition of FORMIDABLE (original) (raw)
2
: having qualities that discourage approach or attack
3
: tending to inspire awe or wonder : impressive
a formidable accomplishment
Synonyms
Examples of formidable in a Sentence
She was known throughout Manchester as a formidable woman, and being educated had only piled more formidability on top of what she had been born with. —
Edward P. Jones, The Known World, 2003 The technology was formidable: using two and a half million rivets, 300 steeplejacks working flat out would run it up in the space of two years … —Alistair Horne, Seven Ages of Paris, 2002 Alta is reached by a hairpin road that climbs steadily upward—a ride of thirty minutes or so, depending on road and weather conditions—through some of the most formidable mountain scenery in the country. —Cynthia Zarin, New Yorker, 23 Mar. 1992
The mountains were a formidable barrier. He has mastered a formidable amount of material.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Just a few generations ago, many young children died from infectious diseases, which are still formidable foes globally. —Brooke Redmond, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025 The formidable musician and actor, a muse to many but so much more than that moniker allows, a style icon, and a megawatt star of the Swinging Sixties—with the coolest eyewear to match. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2025 Still, Olympia’s formidable presence seems impossible for Jacobson & Moore to part with — especially considering her growing bond with show namesake Matty Matlock (Kathy Bates). —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 31 Jan. 2025 Up until Gomez was not nominated for an Oscar for her Emilia Pérez performance, her fans (the formidable Selenators) were waging a high-octane war with the Arianators, the fearsome stan army of Ariana Grande. —Joe Reid, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for formidable 
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin formidabilis, from formidare to fear, from formido terror, bogey; akin to Greek mormō bogey
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of formidable was in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near formidable
Cite this Entry
“Formidable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formidable. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
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Last Updated: 6 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences
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