threatened

adjective

threat·​ened ˈthre-tᵊnd How to pronounce threatened (audio)
: having an uncertain chance of continued survival
a threatened species
specifically : likely to become an endangered species

Examples of threatened in a Sentence

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.
In May, a sprawling bamboo scaffold was built in the courtyard of Venice’s Campo della Tana, as part of a showcase exploring the diverse and often juxtaposing aspects of public space in Hong Kong, with a focus on threatened heritage. Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025 Sharks, rays, and chimaeras are among the most threatened vertebrate groups on the planet, second only to amphibians; according to the IUCN Red List, 37% of these species are at risk of extinction (and one species is already extinct). Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025 Decline in local monarch sightings In recent years, monarch butterflies have been at risk of being a threatened species, as their population numbers have decreased, Vargo said. Alyssa N. Salcedo, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025 With a mission to rebuild abundant and biodiverse oceans, Oceana fights to stop overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, as well as the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, among other causes. Angelique Jackson, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for threatened

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of threatened was in 1960

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Cite this Entry

“Threatened.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threatened. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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