1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
warns that the emergence of new viruses is one of the most menacing developments we face
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury
fears that the unemployment rate may be reaching menacing proportions
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in endangering
to place in danger
menaced the children by leaving them in the car unattended
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in threatening
to remain poised to inflict harm, danger, or distress on
stockpiles of nuclear weapons that continue to menace the inhabitants of this planet
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of menacing
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025
Much of Bill Belichick’s menacing aura has evaporated into the ether, never to return.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 June 2025
One notable redesign, though, was the menacing Red Death, the queen of the dragon hive on the Isle of Berk.
—Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 13 June 2025
Isaacs first portrayed Lucius — the slightly menacing father of Draco Malfoy — in the 2002 film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for menacing
Adjective
The mushroom’s healing properties also lead to hallucinations, often involving mysterious white imps, who should be adorable and instead come across as menacing little ghouls.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025
Much of Bill Belichick’s menacing aura has evaporated into the ether, never to return.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 June 2025
One notable redesign, though, was the menacing Red Death, the queen of the dragon hive on the Isle of Berk.
—Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 13 June 2025
Isaacs first portrayed Lucius — the slightly menacing father of Draco Malfoy — in the 2002 film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for menacing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for menacing
Adjective
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
29 June 2025
-
By contrast, Kosinski’s follow-up plays out against eternal night, with dark mountains looming against deep-black skies with ominous gray clouds.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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And the Santa Barbara temblor revealed just how dangerous brick buildings built in that era could be.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
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After landing, the most dangerous times, statistically speaking, are takeoff, approach, and initial climb.—
Katie Jackson,
Travel + Leisure,
29 June 2025
Verb
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Officers are rarely — if ever — punished for hitting or endangering bystanders.—
Shelby Grad,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2025
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Amanda Davila, 28, was sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted in January of endangering the welfare of a child in relation to the death of 6-year-old Fajr Atiya Williams.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
People.com,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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By late afternoon, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said the Pacific Palisades fire had grown to 1,200 acres — threatening over 10,000 households and 13,000 structures.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA TODAY,
8 Jan. 2025
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Extremely dangerous wildfires are threatening Southern California, including Los Angeles and Ventura counties.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes,
8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The Academy Award winner looks sinister and well-suited as a leader in some kind of underground workspace (one that resembles a NASA control room and the like).—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
27 June 2025
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But those few seconds don’t erase all the fleeting, sinister impressions that came before — and that turn out not to have been fleeting, after all.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
21 June 2025
Adjective
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Many analysts believe that robots like the K2 are likely to complement human workers by taking over monotonous or hazardous duties, which allows people to focus on more complex, creative, or supervisory tasks.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
24 June 2025
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Researchers worldwide are already focusing on multimodal robots that can adjust to their environments and access sites too hazardous or difficult for humans to reach.—
Leslie Katz,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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The Darién Gap, long a perilous route for millions of migrants traveling north toward the United States, has also become a pathway for the northward spread of the New World screwworm—a parasitic fly now challenging decades of containment efforts.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
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The deepest fear: Just four years after the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan ended America's longest war, the United States is now enmeshed in another war in a volatile region, with perilous and uncertain consequences.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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After multiple years of development invested in most of Booth’s draftees, that type of deal would also be risky in its own right.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
24 June 2025
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Howe may have a change of approach in mind, but such a hefty outlay on a player who doesn’t solve an obvious tactical conundrum is risky at the very least.—
Harry De Cosemo,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Menacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menacing. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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