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
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for menacing
Adjective
Tracy’s dialogue, though absent the staccato non sequiturs of the director’s earlier work, has a bracing nastiness; every visual flourish and every menacing thrum of the score, by Jerskin Fendrix, escalates the intensity of Stone and Plemons’s bravura showdown.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
In the follow-up, the sinister killer seeks vengeance on Finn from beyond the grave by menacing his younger sister, Gwen, who is played by Madeleine McGraw.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for menacing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for menacing
Adjective
-
Though conventional in its concept (family moves into house, spirits possess family, paranormal investigators exorcize spirits), the movie's significance comes from its execution, which electrified audiences with ominous clapping hands and expert control of tension.—
Michael Lee Simpson,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
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Unwisely agreeing to go for a spin, Tony finds they’re soon tailed by an ominous black SUV.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli is charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft, according to a news release from the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
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This connection would become increasingly important over the twentieth century, as the rapid development of technological infrastructure created ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous sensitivities to geomagnetic storms.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Duren was also found guilty of knowingly and recklessly causing Caitlyn Naffziger’s death, reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and endangering the welfare of Naffziger’s child.—
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
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Average time served has increased dramatically in recent years, and research indicates many offenders could have served less time without endangering public safety.—
Khalil Cumberbatch,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Six citizens were arrested for impeding and threatening to kill agents.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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That officer was later identified as Michael Paulson, who was later taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life threatening, according to Zak.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
AZCentral.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Their double life soon gets complicated when a rival boy band harboring a sinister secret begins stealing their fans.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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Candyman, the Candyman franchise (1992–1999; 2021) Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) finds out that adoration and horror don't mix when she is faced with the attachment of the sinister Candyman (Tony Todd) in the 1992 film classic.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Because the vapors are hazardous, scattering moth balls around your closet is always unsafe.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
-
In several messages, officials cautioned that high-profile vehicles could face difficulty on roadways, and travel may be hazardous.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Over the past year, Ukraine dispatched thousands of wheeled ground robots to its frontline military units to help deliver supplies, evacuate the wounded and, in some cases, attack the intruding Russians troops and push them out without risking the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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The sled, which is later recovered from the water, allows engineers to evaluate the system’s performance and stress tolerance without risking an actual aircraft.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The young girls are going back to their remote mountain village to take part in the perilous harvest of the yarsagumba, a rare creature, half mushroom, half insect, whose value exceeds that of gold.—
Annika Pham,
Variety,
24 Oct. 2025
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The 121-year-old park in Midtown is the scene of a child's birthday that turns perilous as gusty winds send a red kite, and the little girl holding it, soaring above the Parthenon.—
Bryan West,
Nashville Tennessean,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Menacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menacing. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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