formidable task

[/fɔrˈmɪdəbəl tæsk/]
noun phrasepl: formidable tasks
tarefa formidável
1. A task or job that is extremely difficult, challenging, or daunting; something that requires great effort, skill, or determination to accomplish
Climbing Mount Everest is a formidable task that only experienced mountaineers should attempt.
Escalar o Monte Everest é uma tarefa formidável que apenas montanhistas experientes devem tentar.
2. An undertaking that inspires fear, respect, or awe due to its magnitude or difficulty
Rebuilding the entire infrastructure after the earthquake proved to be a formidable task.
Reconstruir toda a infraestrutura após o terremoto provou ser uma tarefa formidável.
In both Brazilian and American English contexts, 'formidable task' is used to express respect for the magnitude of a challenge. In Brazil, it's commonly used in business, academic, and personal contexts to acknowledge difficult projects. In the USA, particularly in New York, people might use more colloquial expressions like 'that's a huge ask' in casual speech, while 'formidable task' remains the formal, professional standard.
NYC Slang
a real tough nut to crack / a huge ask
Synonyms / Sinônimos
daunting taskchallenging taskdifficult taskarduous taskuphill battleherculean task
Antonyms / Antônimos
easy tasksimple tasktrivial taskeffortless task

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
tarefa formidável
Standard usage; most common translation in Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
tarefa formidável / missão difícil
May also use 'missão difícil' in informal contexts
São Paulo
tarefa formidável / desafio imenso
Business and corporate environments prefer this term
Portugal
tarefa formidável / empreendimento difícil
Portuguese variant; 'empreendimento' is commonly used

Related Words

challengeobstacledifficultyendeavorundertakingmissionassignment

Related Idioms & Phrases

bite off more than you can chew
a tall order
a long row to hoe
an uphill battle
swimming upstream
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