as in to endanger
to remain poised to inflict harm, danger, or distress on
the powerful hurricane continues to threaten the southern coastline
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of threaten
Miami Beach faces overlapping challenges — flooding, traffic, overdevelopment, overtourism, short-term rentals, crime and rising costs — that threaten our quality of life.
—
Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Two years ago, CNN reported on a secret plan drawn up by Russia’s security service, the FSB, laying out detailed options to destabilize Moldova – including supporting pro-Russian groups, utilizing the Orthodox Church and threatening to cut off supplies of natural gas.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
At a moment when workforce shortages and declining productivity threaten the nation’s industrial backbone, Farley called for bold action and new partnerships to restore American leadership and innovation.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2025
The man had been calling the victim dozens of times per day and threatening her, authorities said.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for threaten
Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Two years ago, CNN reported on a secret plan drawn up by Russia’s security service, the FSB, laying out detailed options to destabilize Moldova – including supporting pro-Russian groups, utilizing the Orthodox Church and threatening to cut off supplies of natural gas.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
At a moment when workforce shortages and declining productivity threaten the nation’s industrial backbone, Farley called for bold action and new partnerships to restore American leadership and innovation.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2025
The man had been calling the victim dozens of times per day and threatening her, authorities said.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for threaten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for threaten
Verb
-
Poor weather and battlefield obscurants continue to endanger warfighters as adversaries rely on these conditions to escape attacks.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Court records show he is charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering children.—
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Kansas City Star,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Receivers Chris Marshall and Ben Ford menaced the Eagles’ secondary, and No. 3 running back Dylan Riley tore through the defense the same way Gaines did.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Sep. 2025
-
While much higher than pre-Trump, that number is down from the 30% level being menaced by the U.S.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
29 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Threaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threaten. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share