fearsomeness
Capacity to terrify
Fearsomeness is the quality of inspiring fear or dread.
A warrior's fearsomeness lies in reputation and bearing.
The word applies to anything formidable enough to provoke alarm: the fearsomeness of the storm, the fearsomeness of her intellect.
It emphasizes the capacity to frighten rather than the experience of being frightened.
Intense anticipatory fear
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
- frightSudden intense fear
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
nightmare · petrifying · bloodcurdling · chilling · spine-tingling · ghoulish · macabre · monstrous
Source of potential harm
- threatIndication of potential harm
- perilSerious threat of harm
- ominousSuggesting something bad approaches
- forebodingFearful anticipation of harm
sinister · hostile · ferocious · savage · predatory · bloodthirsty · ruthless · merciless
Conveying threat or danger
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- overbearingArrogantly dominating in manner
- commandingExerting strong authority
- imposingImpressively grand in scale
powerful · forceful · unyielding · assertive · deterrence · coercion · pressure · heavy-handed
Impressive supreme dignity
- sublimityExalted, awe-inspiring quality
- grandeurImpressive splendor and scale
- magnificenceImpressive beauty or scale
- formidabilityState of being daunting
impressiveness · reverence · wonder · splendor · resplendence · stupendousness · transcendence · overwhelming
dread
Intense anticipatory fear
horror · nightmare · petrifying · bloodcurdling · chilling · spine-tingling · ghoulish · macabre · monstrous · gruesome
menace
Source of potential harm
- threatIndication of potential harm
- perilSerious threat of harm
- ominousSuggesting something bad approaches
foreboding · sinister · hostile · ferocious · savage · predatory · bloodthirsty · ruthless · merciless · vicious
menacing
Conveying threat or danger
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- overbearingArrogantly dominating in manner
- commandingExerting strong authority
imposing · powerful · forceful · unyielding · assertive · deterrence · coercion · pressure · heavy-handed · influence
majesty
Impressive supreme dignity
- sublimityExalted, awe-inspiring quality
- grandeurImpressive splendor and scale
- magnificenceImpressive beauty or scale
formidability · impressiveness · reverence · wonder · splendor · resplendence · stupendousness · transcendence · overwhelming · breathtaking
fearsomenessharmlessness
Inability to cause damage
innocuousness · inoffensiveness · safety · benignity · powerlessness
fearsomenessapproachability
Quality of seeming welcoming
friendliness · warmth · cuddliness · adorableness · sweetness
fear, fearful, fearless, fearsome, fearfully, fearing, fearlessness, fearfulness, fearlessly