menacing

adjective

men·​ac·​ing ˈme-nə-siŋ 

: presenting, suggesting, or constituting a menace or threat : threatening

a menacing look

menacing words

[Harold E. Edgerton] … was also one of the first to take photographs of the menacing mushroom cloud emanating from a nuclear blast.

—Benjamin Genocchio

Ransomware is a menacing scam that involves locking businesses out of their computers and demanding payment of a ransom in exchange for the return of company systems and data.

—Roger Williams

The image is chilling: a series of menacing bear traps laid out like footsteps.

—Emily DeNitto

menacingly adverb

A man stepped menacingly from the corner brandishing a long pole …

—Elizabeth George Speare

"If you shout his name I will curse you into oblivion," muttered Tonks menacingly …

—J. K. Rowling

Examples of menacing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There are far more menacing 4X space game series out there, but Galactic Civilizations is an extremely welcoming experience for new players while still offering a bunch of depth and strategic choices for players to make. —Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2025

If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter. —Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2025

Having that kind of power in a bike this light is downright menacing. —New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2025

There also are characters straight from the David Lynch school of the bizarre, including the menacing figure who warns Ron to stop snooping around and the bearer of a disturbing story about a manufacturing job that requires being nude. —Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 10 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English manacyng, from present participle of manacen "to menace entry 2"

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above