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
Iran is threatening to retaliate and has said no Gulf ports will be safe if the blockade continues.
—
Brian Dakss, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
However, higher commodity and energy prices stemming from the conflict have started feeding into Chinese manufacturers' input costs, threatening to weigh on firms' already thin margins.
—Anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2026
The global energy shock stemming from maritime traffic disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil is typically transported, has led to surging fuel prices and is threatening to push up inflation in many countries and impact economic growth.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
The talks between Israeli and Lebanese diplomats under US supervision were scheduled amid fears that the Israeli strikes in Lebanon could threaten a delicate ceasefire in the US-Israeli war with Iran.
—Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for threaten
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.
Brian Dakss, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
However, higher commodity and energy prices stemming from the conflict have started feeding into Chinese manufacturers' input costs, threatening to weigh on firms' already thin margins.
—Anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2026
The global energy shock stemming from maritime traffic disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil is typically transported, has led to surging fuel prices and is threatening to push up inflation in many countries and impact economic growth.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
The talks between Israeli and Lebanese diplomats under US supervision were scheduled amid fears that the Israeli strikes in Lebanon could threaten a delicate ceasefire in the US-Israeli war with Iran.
—Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 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 14 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
