fearsome

adjective

fear·​some ˈfir-səm 

1

a

: causing fear

a fearsome monster

b

: intense, extreme

fearsome determination

2

: timid, timorous

fearsomely adverb

fearsomeness noun

Synonyms

• alarming
• dire
• direful
• dread
• dreadful
• fearful
• forbidding
• formidable
• frightening
• frightful
• ghastly
• hair-raising
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrifying
• intimidating
• redoubtable
• scary
• shocking
• spine-chilling
• terrible
• terrifying

Examples of fearsome in a Sentence

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

after working all afternoon in the hot sun, I had developed a fearsome thirst

Recent Examples on the Web

Does reading about one of the most common birds on the planet sharing ancestry with a fearsome predator like the Tyrannosaurus rex reinforce a belief that animals are just as fascinating as humans? —Scott Travers, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024

Pumpkin’s lonely holiday ritual is interrupted by the arrival of a savage gang of raiders at her doorstep, led by the fearsome Thalia (Sossamon). —Alex Ritman, Variety, 26 Nov. 2024

Jeff Goldblum puts his own stamp on the fearsome Wizard of Oz, using his quirky persona to reinvent the character and providing a delightful musical number of his own. —Pete Hammond, Deadline, 19 Nov. 2024

There’s a weird beauty here too, even something fearsome. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

fear entry 1 + -some entry 1

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

fearsome

adjective

fear·​some ˈfi(ə)r-səm 

1

: causing fear

2

: timid

fearsomely adverb

fearsomeness noun