Fearsome
/ˈfɪərsəm/
Definitions
Causing or capable of causing fear or alarm; frightening.
/ˈfɪərsəm/
Causing fear or apprehension.
The storm looked fearsome as the dark clouds rolled in.
💡 Simply: Fearsome means something that makes you feel scared. Imagine a scary monster in a movie—that's fearsome!
👶 For kids: When something is fearsome, it means it's really scary!
More Examples
The pirate captain had a fearsome reputation on the high seas.
The old house had a fearsome appearance, its windows dark and empty.
How It's Used
"The fearsome dragon guarded the treasure."
"The knight faced a fearsome opponent in the arena."
Idioms & expressions
fearsome reputation
A widely held belief about someone or something that is considered scary or dangerous.
"The gangster had a fearsome reputation."
From Old English *fǣrsum*, meaning 'inspiring fear', derived from *fǣr* ('fear') + *-sum* (a suffix forming adjectives).
Used since Old English to depict threats and things that inspire dread.
Memory tip
Think of a bear with fangs and claws - that's fearsome!