threaten

verb

threat·​en ˈthre-tᵊn 

threatened; threatening ˈthret-niŋ 

ˈthre-tᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

1

: to utter threats against

2

a

: to give signs or warning of : portend

the clouds threatened rain

b

: to hang over dangerously : menace

famine threatens the city

3

: to announce as intended or possible

the workers threatened a strike

4

: to cause to feel insecure or anxious

felt threatened by his brother's success

intransitive verb

1

: to utter threats

2

: to portend evil

threatener

ˈthret-nər 

ˈthre-tᵊn-ər

noun

Synonyms

• hang (over)
• hover (over)
• impend (over)
• menace
• overhang

Examples of threaten in a Sentence

The mugger threatened him with a gun.

She threatened to quit if they didn't give her a raise, but no one believed her.

Civil war has been threatening the country for years.

a marriage threatened by financial problems

Overfishing threatens the survival of certain fish species.

The latest news threatens trouble for the economy.

Recent Examples on the Web

And these messages threaten the peace of mind of thousands of Minnesotans who face the uncertainty of whether these messages are authentic. —Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025

And the back-and-forth between the two countries continues to intensify, threatening an already unstable region. —/ Cbs News, CBS News, 15 June 2025

But those houses are increasingly threatened by wildfire, floods and heat. —Ryan Kellman, NPR, 15 June 2025

If the sky becomes threatening and thunder can be heard, find a safe place to shelter. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 15 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for threaten

• chloromycetin
• kinetin
• tibetan

Kids Definition

threaten

verb

threat·​en ˈthret-ᵊn 

threatened; threatening ˈthret-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

1

: to utter threats : make threats against

threaten trespassers with arrest

2

: to give signs or warning of

clouds threatening rain

3

: to be an imminent danger to : menace

hunger threatens the town

4

: to announce as intended or possible

the workers threatened a strike

threatened to buy a car

5

: to cause to feel insecure or anxious

felt threatened by his friend's success

threateningly

ˈthret-niŋ-lē 

-ᵊn-iŋ-

adverb