FEARSOME Synonyms: 204 Similar and Opposite Words

fearsome

adjective

ˈfir-səm

Definition of fearsome

as in formidable

causing fear at night the child would always imagine that there were fearsome monsters lurking under his bed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in intense

extreme in degree, power, or effect after working all afternoon in the hot sun, I had developed a fearsome thirst

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in timid

easily frightened the more fearsome of the two children would only peer at the guests from a distance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of fearsome Pogačar dropped Vingegaard on the ascent of the fearsome Tourmalet — but actually took more time on the descent. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 28 July 2026 In walked a rugged giant of a man who had a fearsome aura about him. — Scott Jenkins, Christian Science Monitor, 28 July 2026 Viewership has dropped, but big battles with their fearsome fire-breathing dragons could easily bring viewers back, especially since this really has been a step in the right direction compared to Season 2. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 These apex predators are fearsome hunters who employ diverse strategies and work collaboratively when tracking down a meal. — Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fearsome

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fearsome

Adjective

Miami entered the game riding a seven-match unbeaten streak in league play and leading MLS with 45 goals, but facing a formidable foe in Nashville.

— Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026
This one stars Cox himself as a mysterious and formidable old man in an undertaker’s suit and parson’s hat who wanders into an Arizona border town in 1890 to gather the names of dead Mexican laborers.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of formidable

Adjective

The retail offering was oversubscribed 5,500 times, underscoring intense investor demand for the profitable company, which shipped 5,500 humanoids in 2025.

— John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
That points to the conclusion that the pain for Main Street is likely to remain intense for the foreseeable future, even as Wall Street continues to prosper.

— Matt Peterson, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of intense

Adjective

Souleymane, an Afro-German trans man, talented fashion designer and increasingly less timid figure on Berlin’s ballroom scene, travels to Dakar to repair his father’s kora.

— John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
This is a great car for a timid driver, a new driver or perhaps a sensible son or daughter.

— Josh Max, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of timid

Adjective

Two Fort Worth school district students were placed on the wrong bus home this week, creating what one parent described as a terrifying situation.

— Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Aug. 2026
The immersive doc captures the duality of an extreme lifestyle with the euphoric highs of intercepting a tornado to the terrifying lows of being overtaken by one inside their vehicle as Timmer pushes his mind and body to the limit.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of terrifying

Adjective

After the crew leaves the island with the sun god’s cattle, the seas are vicious, scary, and violent.

— Wisdom Iheanyichukwu, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026
The 13-year-old has his life back after a scary ordeal with epilepsy that seemed to come out of nowhere three years ago.

— Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of scary

Adjective

But the ordeal was frightening and bewildering for Cliffel, who still didn't know what had caused her behavior.

— Deborah Becker, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026
There’s a frightening imbalance in how the mainstream media report on these candidates, which tends to take it pretty easy on the latter.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of frightening

Adjective

And, once selected, these leaders adhere to a strict code of conduct and undergo intensive training and certification requirements, all of which prize discipline and self-regulation.

— Emelia S. Probasco, Foreign Affairs, 20 Aug. 2026
They were concerned rezoning the property would set off a reaction of more intensive zoning for the corridor.

— Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of intensive

Browse Nearby Words

fears

fearsome

fearsomeness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Fearsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fearsome. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of fearsome

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on fearsome

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

prowess

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes