1
as in formidable
causing fear
at night the child would always imagine that there were fearsome monsters lurking under his bed
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2
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
after working all afternoon in the hot sun, I had developed a fearsome thirst
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3
as in timid
easily frightened
the more fearsome of the two children would only peer at the guests from a distance
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fearsome
But a chance encounter with the hellish Hessian at the moment of his beheading lights a fire in Sarah, giving her the power to overcome those who have wronged her and grow into a fearsome witch.
—
Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Jan. 2026
No pass-rushing duo in the league is more fearsome than Anderson and Hunter, who made the All-Pro team and Pro Bowl, respectively.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
Since 2010, when DreamWorks Animation’s soaring epic was first introduced, fans have been captivated by the unlikely friendship of an adolescent Viking and a fearsome Night Fury dragon and the astonishing adventures of Hiccup and Toothless.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 16 Jan. 2026
Someone described Minneapolis the other day as having the inclusivity and quirkiness of San Francisco but with the attitude of the Bronx — a fearsome combination.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fearsome
Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Jan. 2026
No pass-rushing duo in the league is more fearsome than Anderson and Hunter, who made the All-Pro team and Pro Bowl, respectively.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
Since 2010, when DreamWorks Animation’s soaring epic was first introduced, fans have been captivated by the unlikely friendship of an adolescent Viking and a fearsome Night Fury dragon and the astonishing adventures of Hiccup and Toothless.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 16 Jan. 2026
Someone described Minneapolis the other day as having the inclusivity and quirkiness of San Francisco but with the attitude of the Bronx — a fearsome combination.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fearsome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fearsome
Adjective
-
Apple Pay and Cash App became formidable competitors.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The rout was on from there as Florida’s formidable frontcourt imposed its will, finishing with a 56-35 rebounding edge and a 20-point advantage in the paint.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Many Olympians—Nordic skiers, for instance—pay a lot of attention to a measure called their VO2 max—the highest volume of oxygen your body can consume and use during a minute of intense exercise.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Valentine’s Day in a first teen relationship should feel simple, sweet, and age-appropriate, not intense or pressured.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Gallego is confident that none of the pejoratives affixed to Democrats—weak, feckless, timid—applies to him.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Harry Melling stars as a timid man who is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker (Skarsgård) takes him on as his submissive.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Even the more terrifying creatures, like rattlesnakes and scorpions, have their own undeniable, deadly beauty.—
Becky Bartkowski,
AZCentral.com,
14 Feb. 2026
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The story that introduced millions of streaming viewers to the Crain family and their terrifying home is getting a brand-new life — this time, on stage.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Kam and O'Shea exceeded all expectations with a performance characterized by spectacular lifts and fierce musicality.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Then, in the middle of a fierce snowstorm, a skinny little girl and her dog show up at the resort.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The scariest jump in ice skating requires your shoulders, hips, knees and feet to be in perfect alignment.—
Kelly O'Grady,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Range anxiety never sounded so scary.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The bodycam video was an eye-opening look at the frightening aftermath of the Brown campus shooting when police were searching room-by-room for the suspect, trying to comfort and care for terrified students, and trying to coordinate with campus police to get past locked doors.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
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In 2017 Dikansh Parmar of the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change in Germany, rescued an Indian cobra (Naja naja) coiled around a train’s window bars that was hissing and, understandably, frightening passengers.—
Richard Kemeny,
Scientific American,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Members provide intensive mentoring, conflict mediation, case management, and connections to job training and mental health services to people at the highest risk of being involved in gun violence.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
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But, for those looking for a slightly less intensive experience, the semi-serious murder party—which tends to take place, and to wrap up, during one dinner—has come roaring back in popularity.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fearsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fearsome. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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