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

Three days later, menacing calls began pouring in to the staff. —Miriam Jordan, New York Times, 2 June 2024

These quietly menacing forms dot a much bigger rubber skin, cast from a different kind of tree, plus the white museum wall around it. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024

Ormes made headlines in April after he was charged with felony first-degree strangulation and misdemeanors for menacing and fourth-degree assault. —Jolene Almendarez, The Enquirer, 19 May 2024

Experts on extremism say the constant repetition of threatening or menacing language can normalize the idea of violence – and increase the risk of someone carrying it out. —Peter Eisler, USA TODAY, 15 May 2024

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