threaten
verb
\
ˈthre-tᵊn-iŋ
\
Definition of threaten
1 : to utter threats against
2a : 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
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from threaten
ˈthre-tᵊn-ər
\
noun
Synonyms for threaten
Synonyms
hang (over), hover (over), impend (over), menace, overhang
Visit the Thesaurus for More
Examples of threaten in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
None of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening, CSP added. — Greg Norman, Fox News, "At least 29 hurt in Colorado after sleepy truck driver runs school bus off the road, police say," 13 July 2018 None of the injuries were described as life-threatening. — Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, "‘Retirement dream job’: Pilot of plane that crashed near Ketchikan is former Navy and commercial aviator," 11 July 2018 He was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and was charged with two counts of unlawful restraint and a count of unauthorized use of motor vehicle, officials said. — Alex Johnson /, NBC News, "Mother shoots Texas carjacker in head as her two kids watch from back seat," 5 July 2018 Three officers were taken to Presence Saint Joseph Hospital and one was taken to Advocate Sherman Hospital, all with injuries not considered life-threatening. — Janelle Walker, Elgin Courier-News, "Officer shoots and kills man who injured 3 police officers in South Elgin," 4 July 2018 The injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. — Pamela Wood, baltimoresun.com, "Motorcyclist injured in Crownsville crash," 4 July 2018 Here, then, is clear evidence that people enjoy the sensations that accompany the fight or flight response within a non-threatening environment. — Richard Stephens, Smithsonian, "The History and Psychology of Roller Coasters," 12 July 2018 Both men suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the exchange and are expected to recover. — Cincinnati.com, "Two men injured after Friday night shooting in Pendleton County, police say," 14 July 2018 The three other victims were taken by ambulance to Columbia St. Mary's in Grafton with non-life-threatening injuries. — Adriana Ramirez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Shorewood man charged in connection with five-car accident in Grafton," 13 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'threaten.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for threaten
threaten
verb
English Language Learners Definition of threaten
: to say that you will harm someone or do something unpleasant or unwanted especially in order to make someone do what you want
: to be something that is likely to cause harm to (someone or something) : to be a threat to (someone or something)
See the full definition for threaten in the English Language Learners Dictionary
threaten
verb
\
Kids Definition of threaten
1 : to show an intention to do harm or something unwanted He threatened to quit.
2 : to give warning of by an indication The clouds threatened rain.
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on threaten
What made you want to look up threaten? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Which Came First? Quiz
-
- Which came first?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Share threaten
Resources for threaten