threatened

adjective

threat·​ened ˈthre-tᵊnd 

: 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

That lawsuit names coho salmon, spotted owls, as well as a threatened seabird, the marbled murrelet, which lives largely out at sea but returns to old-growth coastal trees to nest, as species threatened by the change. — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026

Grizzly bears are considered a threatened species in Alberta. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026

Preventing and responding to threatened pandemics requires society-wide mobilization, and only the president can lead that process. — David Blumenthal, STAT, 20 July 2026

Advertisement Burgum also said that 97% of threatened species are still on the list today—a source of frustration for Republican lawmakers, who say that longstanding habitat protections hamper economic development in their districts. — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 19 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above