In the final two minutes of the half, Elway rifled the touchdown passes that lifted the Broncos into a formidable 24-14 lead.

Most analysts considered that unrealistic, since Bayer's once formidable lead in the pharmaceuticals industry had eroded, making it smaller than most potential partners.

The growing anxiety of the public has not been enough to erase Mr. Putin's formidable lead in the opinion polls.

For NBC, which has seen its once- formidable lead in prime-time programming shrink to the thinnest of margins, recent times have been especially hard.

Fueled by the ailing economy, Mr. Clinton built a formidable lead in this region in the two months after the Democratic convention.

Leavitt, with high popularity ratings as the incumbent Governor, maintained a formidable lead in subsequent polls as well.

His formidable lead among New Hampshire voters is contracting, according to the most recent polls.

Mr. Dukakis enters the final stretch of the New Hampshire campaign with a formidable lead in most polls.

Australia continued to build a formidable lead, eventually declaring at 1/202, a lead of 648, just after Langer had passed his century, his 23rd in Test cricket.

He has a formidable lead in the polls, no primary opposition so far and three times the campaign money raised by his closest Democratic rival.