FORMIDABLE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does formidable mean? 

• FORMIDABLE (adjective)
  The adjective FORMIDABLE has 2 senses:

1. extremely impressive in strength or excellence

2. inspiring fear

  Familiarity information: FORMIDABLE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FORMIDABLE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Extremely impressive in strength or excellence

Context example:

the formidable army of brains at the Prime Minister's disposal

Similar:

impressive (making a strong or vivid impression)

Derivation:

formidability (impressive difficulty)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Inspiring fear

Synonyms:

formidable; redoubtable; unnerving

Context example:

something unnerving and prisonlike about high grey wall

Similar:

alarming (frightening because of an awareness of danger)

 Context examples 

Many of these stems were twenty feet high, with sharp, strong tops, so that even as they stood they made formidable spears.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Within twenty-four hours I was in his sick-room, and was relieved to find that there was nothing formidable in his symptoms.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Studies of ancient DNA from tropical birds have faced two formidable obstacles.

(Extinct Caribbean bird yields DNA after 2,500 years in watery grave, National Science Foundation)

Access to the subject's vasculature is troublesome or formidable.

(Difficult Vascular Access, NCI Thesaurus/ACC)

Placement of intracoronary devices across the coronary stenosis is troublesome or formidable.

(Difficulty Crossing Culprit Lesion During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, NCI Thesaurus/ACC)

As to what it was he feared, we can only deduce that by considering the formidable letters which were received by himself and his successors.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Later, when he had grown more formidable, he wanted to eat the hawk.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

No, no, Hopkins, it is another and more formidable person for whom we must seek.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In this plight, and with a strong consciousness of it, I waited to introduce myself to, and make my first impression on, my formidable aunt.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Four or five of them obeyed at once, two remaining on the road with the formidable beggar.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)