threatened; threatening
ˈthret-niŋ 
ˈthre-tᵊn-iŋ
1
: to utter threats against
2
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
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
Those inflated bills are eating into families’ budgets at a time when gas, grocery and housing costs are high and threatening to climb further, limiting many Americans’ ability to save money and build wealth.
—
Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
That threatens its long-term prospects in years to come, some lawmakers said during debate of the bill last week.
—Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 31 Mar. 2026
City leaders, however, maintain that the changes threaten jobs and essential services in communities that have depended on card rooms for decades.
—Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The Islamic republic has threatened to attack vessels traversing the strait throughout the conflict, which has effectively closed off the conduit, trapping hundreds of ships in the Persian Gulf and spiking oil prices globally.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for threaten
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Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
That threatens its long-term prospects in years to come, some lawmakers said during debate of the bill last week.
—Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 31 Mar. 2026
City leaders, however, maintain that the changes threaten jobs and essential services in communities that have depended on card rooms for decades.
—Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The Islamic republic has threatened to attack vessels traversing the strait throughout the conflict, which has effectively closed off the conduit, trapping hundreds of ships in the Persian Gulf and spiking oil prices globally.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for threaten
Cite this Entry
“Threaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threaten. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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