formidable

The word “formidable” means impressively strong, capable, or intimidating. In plain terms, so powerful, skilled, or difficult that it commands respect or even a little fear.

“Formidable” is pronounced faw-MIH-duh-buhl (/ˈfɔɹmɪdəbəl/ in IPA).

Here is “formidable” used in a sentence: “She built a formidable reputation as a courtroom lawyer.”

“Formidable” is an adjective.

The word “formidable” comes from Latin. From Latin formidabilis, "causing fear," from formido, "dread.".

“Formidable” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Formidable” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: impressively strong, capable, or intimidating.

Impressive simply means something makes a strong positive impression, while formidable carries an added sense of strength, difficulty, or intimidation, suggesting the thing is hard to deal with or overcome. A formidable opponent is not just impressive but also genuinely challenging or intimidating to face.

Formidable can be either positive or negative depending on context, since it describes something impressively strong or capable, but also difficult to deal with or overcome. A formidable athlete is admired, while a formidable obstacle is simply hard to overcome.

Calling a task formidable means it is difficult to deal with or overcome, requiring significant effort, skill, or resources to handle. It signals that the challenge should be taken seriously rather than dismissed as easy.