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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Barnes and Holmgren would make for a menacing defensive duo in a real basketball scenario.
—Scott Phillips, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
As the two catch up, Crudup veers from good-natured to sorrowful to bitter to menacing in a matter of minutes.
—Jenelle Riley, Variety, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for menacing
Adjective
If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Barnes and Holmgren would make for a menacing defensive duo in a real basketball scenario.
—Scott Phillips, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
The Chinese, too, are absolutely shocked that a great power is menacing a small neighbor and inflicting regime change by military force.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
As the two catch up, Crudup veers from good-natured to sorrowful to bitter to menacing in a matter of minutes.
—Jenelle Riley, Variety, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for menacing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for menacing
Adjective
-
Cut to black, episode over, very ominous.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Removing the safety language sparks concerns for some nonprofit accountability scholars like Alnoor Ebrahim, who first noticed the change and warned of a potential ominous future ahead for a company marred by growing safety concerns.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In 2024, the unfinished towers became a major downtown eyesore after graffiti vandals covered at least 25 floors, followed by dangerous stunts including base jumping that were captured on video and widely shared on social media.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Taunton is in Bristol County, which was under a travel ban for non-essential travel due to dangerous road conditions.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This creates a serious fire risk, endangering the lives of sanitation workers and threatening nearby homes, vehicles and our neighborhoods.—
Jan Wagner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
-
He was charged with reckless driving and recklessly endangering.—
Ashley Carnahan,
FOXNews.com,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Writers Guild of America West is threatening to cancel its glitzy annual awards show as its own staff continues to strike, alleging that management has committed unfair labor practices amid first contract negotiations.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Recent product releases from Anthropic have sparked sharp declines in cybersecurity and software stocks, but yesterday's rollout wasn't seen as threatening to the software industry as Wall Street feared.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And are at this moment again pursuing their sinister ambitions.—
February 25,
NPR,
25 Feb. 2026
-
The story takes on an even more sinister air when Jennifer and Fernando reunite in Mexico.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The emergency declaration was first signed by county administrator and director of emergency services Kevin Mallen in response to hazardous materials and debris entering the Yuba River.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Boating conditions are poor to hazardous but are expected to improve through the day.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The route to Crete is significantly longer and more perilous than the short trip from Turkey to nearby Greek islands.—
LEFTERIS PITARAKIS,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
-
The route to Crete is significantly longer and more perilous than the short trip from Turkey to nearby Greek islands.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Even searching for information online can be risky.—
Sophie Spiegelberger,
New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2026
-
This can be less costly upfront than buying stocks, but can also be riskier, because options expire and a small move in a stock’s price can translate into a big swing in the value of options contracts.—
Alex Veiga,
Fortune,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Menacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menacing. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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