as in threat
something that may cause injury or harm
a loaded gun is a menace that this household doesn't need
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to endanger
to place in danger
menaced the children by leaving them in the car unattended
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to threaten
to remain poised to inflict harm, danger, or distress on
stockpiles of nuclear weapons that continue to menace the inhabitants of this planet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of menace
Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2026
Our roads are concussion- and whiplash-inducing menaces.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2026
Extreme heat fuels out of control bushfires Bushfires, fueled by the soaring temperatures, have menaced towns in the state of Victoria, prompting evacuations as volunteer firefighters attempted to douse flames around homes.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for menace
Noun
In 2021, Kennedy had written in a book that measles — a virus the CDC says kills nearly 1 to 3 of every 1,000 children who contract it — wasn’t the menace that the government proclaimed.
—Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2026
Our roads are concussion- and whiplash-inducing menaces.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
There’s real, sweat-inducing tension to scenes where Esther, alone at home with her children, is encircled and menaced by mobs of men preying on the easiest of targets.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2026
Extreme heat fuels out of control bushfires Bushfires, fueled by the soaring temperatures, have menaced towns in the state of Victoria, prompting evacuations as volunteer firefighters attempted to douse flames around homes.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for menace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for menace
Noun
-
The Administration’s treatment of immigration officers as a vulnerable group rests on claims that agents now face unprecedented threats.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
-
This threat will be greatest from the southern Piedmont to the southern Sandhills and southern Coastal Plain, where little to no rain occurred Friday night.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Metropolitan Police said the two men, aged 45 and 47, were arrested in London on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and that both have been taken to a police station in the city for questioning.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
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They were each charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of false imprisonment.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The war has threatened global supplies of oil and natural gas, sparked fertilizer shortages and disrupted air travel.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
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Instead, there was Foster, checking into the game just as the whole thing threatened to go off the rails for Duke.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Meloni initially avoided tying her image too closely to the referendum, wary of the danger that a defeat could weaken her domestically and abroad.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
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Minimize the risk of heat dangers by staying cool and avoiding direct sun exposure.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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No one wants to be a part of history that risks omitting obvious stellar choices like Cunningham, Wembanyama and Edwards from recognition.—
Jason Jones,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
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The upcoming April 7 vote over the renewal of Kansas City’s 1% earnings tax will mark one of the biggest tests of whether that opposition could risk ensnaring a critical resource for the city.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Menace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menace. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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