threatened

adjective

threat·​ened ˈthre-tᵊnd 

: having an uncertain chance of continued survival

a threatened species

specifically : likely to become an endangered species

Examples of threatened in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That allows conservationists to measure success by the return of rare or threatened species, and offers early warnings of invasive species. — Evelyne Musambi, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026

These threatened and endangered species are gentle, curious, and squeal-inducing levels of adorable, making a rare sighting all the more special and memorable. — Joey Skladany, Southern Living, 21 May 2026

This ‘living fossil’ is threatened with extinction Guitarfish are among the ocean’s most threatened fish, as demand for their fins fuels a multimillion-dollar trade. — Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 30 June 2026

For the frosted flatwoods salamander, a threatened species, the change was more severe—seawater was pushed into their freshwater breeding habitats, imperiling their survival. — Jeff Vandermeer, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above