threat

1 of 2

noun

1
: an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage
2
: one that threatens
3
: an indication of something impending
the sky held a threat of rain

threat

2 of 2

verb

threated; threating; threats
archaic

Examples of threat in a Sentence

Noun He was willing to use violence and threats to get what he wanted. She ignored their threats and continued to do what she felt was right. a country under threat of civil war
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The threat follows a 12-day war that left nearly 1,000 Iranians and dozens of Israelis dead, and comes amid a tense ceasefire negotiated after both U.S. military and Israeli strikes against Iran's nuclear program. Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025 Why This Work Matters Now Quantum threats may still be several years away—but cryptographic systems have long lifecycles. Dino Dimarino, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025 Due to the threats, about 40 of San Vicente's 1,000 students have left the school, says social studies teacher Julio León. John Otis, NPR, 7 July 2025 Williams was charged this week on four counts of soliciting first degree intentional homicide in connection to the threats to witnesses in the homicide case. Ariela Lopez, jsonline.com, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for threat

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English thret coercion, threat, from Old English thrēat coercion; akin to Middle High German drōz annoyance, Latin trudere to push, thrust

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of threat was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Threat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threat. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

threat

noun
ˈthret
1
: an expression of an intent to do harm
stop making threats
2
: something that threatens
the volcano was a threat to the village
3
: an indication of something impending
the sky held a threat of rain

Legal Definition

threat

noun
: an expression of an intention to injure another : menace sense 1
criminal laws against making terroristic threats

More from Merriam-Webster on threat

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