After reading the sentence, "The storm's intensity was formidable, leaving a trail of destruction," what does "formidable" mean?
In this context, "formidable" means causing fear, apprehension, or awe due to its power, strength, or intensity.
"Formidable" means inspiring fear or respect through being impressively powerful, capable, or skilled. In the given sentence, it suggests that the storm was very powerful and destructive.
To understand the meaning of "formidable" in the sentence, we can break down the sentence and analyze its context. In this case, the sentence states that the storm's intensity was formidable, and it left a trail of destruction. From this context, we can infer that "formidable" describes the storm's intensity as being strong or powerful.
In general, to understand the meaning of an unfamiliar word like "formidable," you can follow these steps:
1. Read the sentence: Start by reading the sentence or passage that contains the word. Pay attention to the surrounding words and phrases to gain a sense of context.
2. Identify clues: Look for context clues within the sentence that might provide hints about the word's meaning. These clues can be other words or phrases that help define or explain the unknown word.
3. Analyze the context: Consider the overall meaning or purpose of the sentence or passage. Think about how the word fits into the broader context and what it implies.
4. Consult a dictionary or online resources: If you are unable to determine the meaning based on the context, you can look up the word in a dictionary or search online. A dictionary will provide the definition, usage examples, and sometimes synonyms or antonyms.
Remember that building vocabulary skills takes time and practice. Keep exploring new words in different contexts to enhance your understanding and fluency.