Meaning & use

formidable

adjective·Academic

Inspiring fear, respect, or admiration because of great size, strength, or capability.

See it in a sentence

The chess champion faced a formidable opponent in the final round.

Climbing the mountain in winter is a formidable challenge even for experts.

A note on using this word

Formidable can carry either a negative sense of threat or a positive sense of admiration, depending on context.

Words with a similar meaning

dauntingimpressive

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

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