threaten

verb

threat·​en ˈthre-tᵊn How to pronounce threaten (audio)
threatened; threatening ˈthret-niŋ How to pronounce threaten (audio)
ˈthre-tᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

1
: to utter threats against
2
a
: to give signs or warning of : portend
the clouds threatened rain
b
: to hang over dangerously : menace
famine threatens the city
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

intransitive verb

1
: to utter threats
2
: to portend evil
threatener
ˈthret-nər How to pronounce threaten (audio)
ˈthre-tᵊn-ər
noun

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
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.
Diddy's former assistant George Kaplan says rapper threatened his job 'monthly' Kaplan, who worked as Combs' executive assistant from 2014-2015, testified on May 21 that the rapper threatened his job on an almost monthly basis. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 May 2025 Netanyahu put all of his chips on Trump nonetheless—a wager that now threatens to cost the Israeli prime minister the remnants of his legacy. Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025 These cuts threaten to curtail thousands of research projects and could lead to significant layoffs within the scientific community. Natalie Madeira Cofield, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025 If the sky becomes threatening and thunder can be heard, find a safe place to shelter. Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for threaten

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of threaten was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Threaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threaten. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

threaten

verb
threat·​en ˈthret-ᵊn How to pronounce threaten (audio)
threatened; threatening ˈthret-niŋ How to pronounce threaten (audio)
-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
threateningly
ˈthret-niŋ-lē How to pronounce threaten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ-
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on threaten

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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