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
But the legal wrangling over the preventive coverage mandates also threatened to put at risk access to preventive care.
—
June 27, CBS News, 27 June 2025
The children are then threatened with many fictional stories, ending with them being kidnapped by Lu Mamau, who, by putting them in his sack, takes them with him forever, far away to his dark and unknown lair.
—Photovogue, Vogue, 27 June 2025
Renault was threatened with disqualification from F1.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 27 June 2025
Further, if its demands are not met, Social Security threatens to stop sending the beneficiaries as much as half of their monthly benefit checks.
—John C. Goodman, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for threaten
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June 27, CBS News, 27 June 2025
The children are then threatened with many fictional stories, ending with them being kidnapped by Lu Mamau, who, by putting them in his sack, takes them with him forever, far away to his dark and unknown lair.
—Photovogue, Vogue, 27 June 2025
Renault was threatened with disqualification from F1.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 27 June 2025
Further, if its demands are not met, Social Security threatens to stop sending the beneficiaries as much as half of their monthly benefit checks.
—John C. Goodman, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for threaten
Cite this Entry
“Threaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threaten. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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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