Term: Formidable
Formidable (adjective) /ˈfɔːr.mɪ.də.bəl/:
Causing fear, respect, or awe because of being very powerful, large, or difficult. LV: iespaidīgs, biedējošs, grūti pārvarams.
Example sentences:
- The mountain presents a formidable challenge even for the most experienced climbers.
- She has a formidable reputation as a sharp and relentless lawyer.
- The new champion is a formidable opponent who hasn’t lost a match this year.
Common phrases:
- Formidable task: A piece of work that is very difficult to complete.”Cleaning up the polluted river proved to be a formidable task for the city.”
- Formidable obstacle: Something that blocks progress and is very hard to remove.”Language barriers can be a formidable obstacle when moving to a new country.”
- Formidable array: An impressive and frightening collection or group of things.”The company has a formidable array of patents that prevents competitors from entering the market.”
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
formidable (adjective)1.
causing fear, dread, or - apprehension a formidable prospect
2.
having qualities that discourage approach or attack
3.
tending to inspire awe or wonder - impressive
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
formidable (adjective)1.
causing fear
SYNONYMS:
alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, shocking, spine-chilling, terrible, terrifyingRELATED WORDS:
daunting, demoralizing, disconcerting, discouraging, dismaying, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, startling, threatening, troubling, trying, unnerving; bone-chilling, creepy, eerie ( eery), weird; appalling, atrocious, awful, grisly, gruesome ( grewsome), hideous, horrid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarishNEAR ANTONYMS:
calming, comforting, consoling, inviting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, reassuring, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing ( tranquillizing); nonintimidating, nonthreatening2.
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
SYNONYMS:
arduous, Augean, backbreaking, challenging, demanding, difficult, effortful, exacting, formidable, grueling ( gruelling), heavy, hellacious, herculean, killer, laborious, moiling, murderous, pick-and-shovel, rigorous, rough, rugged, severe, stiff, strenuous, sweaty, tall, testing, toilsome, tough, uphillRELATED WORDS:
abstract, abstruse, complex, complicated, elusive, hairy, insoluble, intricate, involved, knotty, opaque, problematic ( problematical), recondite, serious, spiny, stubborn, thorny, ticklish, tricky; bruising, burdensome, exhausting, labored, onerous, oppressive, stressful, taxing, tight, trying; annoying, bothersome, distressing, irksome, troublesome, vexatious; grievous, grim, strict, stringent; brutal, cruel, inhuman, painfulNEAR ANTONYMS:
achievable, clear, doable, elementary, manageable, uncomplicated; comforting, gentle, painless, relaxed, smooth, soothing; accessible, friendly, idiotproof, user-friendly