menace

noun men·ace \ ˈme-nəs \

Definition of menace

1 :a show of intention to inflict harm :threat

exploding in menaces and threats of vengeance
—George Meredith

2 a :one that represents a threat :danger

the intoxicated motorist is a menace to life and limb
—Wayne Hughes

b :an annoying person

her friends were beginning to find her a menace
—Guy McCrone

See menace defined for English-language learners

See menace defined for kids

Examples of menace in a Sentence

There was an atmosphere of menace in the city.
She could hear the menace in his voice.

Recent Examples of menace from the Web

As a demolitions expert, Daniel Craig hotfoots the story, delightfully, in the role of Joe Bang, adding the right degree of menace beneath the surface.

— michael phillips, chicagotribune.com, "'Logan Lucky': Channing Tatum, Daniel Craig cut a caper," 17 Aug. 2017
Ruklick turned around and Mantis had grabbed Howard, a towering 6-8, 250-pound menace, by the jersey.

— mike hutton, Post-Tribune, "Nick Mantis, a man among boys in basketball at East Chicago Washington, dies," 14 Aug. 2017
The show relies on heavy-handed lighting and sound cues to create a sense of menace around the stalker.

— christine pivovar, kansascity, "‘Bodyguard’ story is disjointed, but the Whitney Houston music is terrific," 9 Aug. 2017
But the movie works because of the quiet undercurrent of menace to the whole thing—the goofy, but still disturbing, idea that this gentle-seeming show was built to control James, and did too good a job.

— david sims, The Atlantic, "Brigsby Bear Is a Clever Bit of Fake ’80s Nostalgia," 28 July 2017
After six seasons of warring families, countless deaths and mounting menace, winter has finally come to Westeros in HBO's hit fantasy series Game of Thrones, bringing with it an army of the undead and some long pent-up revenge.

— reuters, Fortune, "Winter Is Here in HBO’s Biggest Show: ‘Game of Thrones’," 13 July 2017
A new, standard Active Exhaust system adds more menace to the Hemi’s rumble.

— tony swan, Car and Driver, "2017 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat," 12 July 2017
Ramirez is a somewhat of a new menace to the Tigers' ace, but the same cannot be said for Chisenhall and Carlos Santana.

— paul hoynes, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Indians thump Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers, 11-8, as Jose Ramirez homers twice," 2 July 2017
His criminality, rage and perhaps his madness have been stoked by class resentment and Mr. Keaton, with his white-hot menace and narrowing eyes, makes him a memorably angry man, not a caricature.

— manohla dargis, New York Times, "Review: Spider-Man (Again) and All That Sticky Kid Stuff," 29 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'menace.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of menace

Middle English manace, from Anglo-French manace, menace, from Latin minacia, from minac-, minax threatening, from minari to threaten — more at mount

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

menace Synonyms

Synonyms

hazard, imminence, danger, peril, pitfall, risk, threat, trouble

Related Words

snare, trap; booby trap

Near Antonyms

guard, protection, safeguard, shield, ward; asylum, harbor, haven, refuge, retreat, shelter

menace

verb

Definition of menace

menaced; menacing

transitive verb

1 :to make a show of intention to harm

menaced him with immediate expulsion
—G. B. Shaw

2 :to represent or pose a threat to :endanger

menaced by a group of toughs after his car goes kaput
—Leah Rozen

intransitive verb

:to act in a threatening manner

The bear menaced with its mouth wide open.

—

menacingly

play \-nə-siŋ-lē\ adverb

See menace defined for English-language learners

Examples of menace in a Sentence

menaced the children by leaving them in the car unattended
stockpiles of nuclear weapons that continue to menace the inhabitants of this planet

Recent Examples of menace from the Web

Seen next is a predator of a different sort, a hungry wolf menacing a herd of goats.

— kenneth turan, Detroit Free Press, "Review: ‘Wind River’ is a thriller to savor," 17 Aug. 2017
Seen next is a predator of a different sort, a hungry wolf menacing a herd of goats.

— kenneth turan, Detroit Free Press, "Review: ‘Wind River’ is a thriller to savor," 17 Aug. 2017
Unwelcome back to these and other memories of my boomer boyhood, those black-and-white days of mushroom clouds on TV and menacing A-bomb and H-bomb figures in Herblock’s newspaper cartoons.

— kevin riordan, Philly.com, "Amid talk of 'fire and fury,' Cold War anxieties return," 9 Aug. 2017
Seen next is a predator of a different sort, a hungry wolf menacing a herd of goats.

— kenneth turan, latimes.com, "'Wind River' shows how crime thrillers should be made, with a stellar turn from Jeremy Renner," 3 Aug. 2017
Menacing by stalking, Edgewood & Adrian drives: An Adrian man may face criminal charges for allegedly harassing an Edgewood neighbor on several occasions since January 2015.

— bob sandrick, cleveland.com, "Man faces charges for harassing neighbor; worker punches boss in the face: Berea police blotter," 3 Aug. 2017
Rounding out the cast are newcomers, including Walton Goggins—who has played villains for years on both television and in Quentin Tarantino films, and may menace Scott and Hope as a weapons mogul named Sonny Burch.

— joanna robinson, vanityfair.com, "Why Is Marvel the Only Studio Still Doing Comic-Con’s Hall H Right?," 22 July 2017
Rounding out the cast are newcomers, including Walton Goggins—who has played villains for years on both television and in Quentin Tarantino films, and may menace Scott and Hope as a weapons mogul named Sonny Burch.

— joanna robinson, HWD, "Why Is Marvel the Only Studio Still Doing Comic-Con’s Hall H Right?," 22 July 2017
SALT LAKE CITY -- A wildfire menacing the southern Utah ski town of Brian Head for nearly a week flared again, doubling in size for the second night in a row and torching more homes after residents fled the flames, officials said Friday.

— CBS News, "Utah's Brian Head wildfire torches more homes as residents flee," 24 June 2017

Origin and Etymology of menace

see ¹menace

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

menace Synonyms

Synonyms

adventure, compromise, gamble (with), hazard, imperil, jeopard, jeopardize, endanger, peril, risk, venture

Related Words

intimidate, threaten; expose; subject; chance, wager

Near Antonyms

guard, protect, shelter, shield; preserve, resume, save

MENACE Defined for English Language Learners

menace

noun

Definition of menace for English Language Learners

: a dangerous or possibly harmful person or thing
: someone who causes trouble or annoyance
: a dangerous or threatening quality

menace

verb

Definition of menace for English Language Learners

: to threaten harm to (someone or something)

MENACE Defined for Kids

menace

noun men·ace \ ˈme-nəs \

Definition of menace for Students

1 :danger 2

That vicious dog is a menace.

2 :an annoying person

menace

verb

Definition of menace for Students

menaced; menacing

:to threaten harm to

The pirates menaced the ship's passengers.

Law Dictionary

menace

noun men·ace \ ˈme-nəs \

legal Definition of menace

1 :a show of an intention to inflict especially physical harm

accomplished against a person's will by means of force,…menace, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury
—California Penal Code

2 :one who represents a threat

menace

verb

legal Definition of menace

menaced; menacing

transitive verb

1 :to make a show of intention to harm

2 :to represent or pose a threat to

intransitive verb

:to act in a threatening manner

—

menacingly

adverb

Learn More about menace

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Origin and Etymology of menace

menace Synonyms

Synonyms

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Near Antonyms

menace

Definition of menace

menacingly

Examples of menace in a Sentence

Recent Examples of menace from the Web

Origin and Etymology of menace

menace Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

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MENACE Defined for English Language Learners

menace

Definition of menace for English Language Learners

menace

Definition of menace for English Language Learners

MENACE Defined for Kids

menace

Definition of menace for Students

menace

Definition of menace for Students

Law Dictionary

menace

legal Definition of menace

menace

legal Definition of menace

menacingly

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