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threatened

adjective

threat·​ened ˈthre-tᵊnd How to pronounce threatened (audio)
Synonyms of threatenednext
: 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.
Alligators are native to Florida and are a threatened species protected under federal and state law. Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025 Trump agreed to delay his threatened 100 percent tariff on Chinese goods and reduce an existing duty on certain fentanyl precursor chemicals from 20 percent to 10 percent. Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025 Prendergast added that some mining companies don’t survey for native bees, so there may be even more species out there, including those that are vital parts of threatened plants and ecosystems. Saleen Martin, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025 The series takes viewers around the world, highlighting the urgent mission to protect our planet's most threatened places. Maya Duclay, ABC News, 23 Oct. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Threatened.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threatened. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.

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