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
Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.
—Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 May 2026
Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
Some argue that the only way to stop Iran from menacing the region and its people is to crush this regime.
—Dennis Ross, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 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.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.
—Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 May 2026
Verb
Santiago was charged with menacing a police officer and criminal possession of a weapon.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
Some argue that the only way to stop Iran from menacing the region and its people is to crush this regime.
—Dennis Ross, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for menacing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for menacing
Adjective
-
But recent days have seen the ominous appearance of public gun kiosks, where civilians are being offered basic lessons in using weapons – a sign of how the hardening Iranian authorities are readying people for further conflict.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
-
The idea of a managerial change in October if Liverpool stick with Slot through the off-season feels ominous, because a couple of poor early results will bring back the negativity currently engulfing the club and his position will become untenable.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
But pretty quickly, Wahl said that both the mother and police realized something more dangerous could be brewing.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
19 May 2026
-
Sheets touched on the other key to his success — and any dangerous hitter’s success — in the above quote.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
He was charged with seven counts, including first-degree reckless endangering safety and two counts of eluding an officer.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
-
Set at the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war, the intimate thriller follows Kyiv newlyweds trapped in their apartment and cut off from the outside world, a situation endangering both their lives and their relationship.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Thomas’s account of Progressivism as a malign force threatening individual liberty echoes an argument developed by scholars at the conservative Claremont Institute.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
-
Some residents interpreted the meme as a threat to shoot up Perry County High School, a local school in Linden, leading Weems to arrest Bushart for threatening to commit an act of mass violence at the school.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
Maul was always expendable, being played like a violin by the Sith for their own sinister purposes.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
19 May 2026
-
This sinister man was Lennon's future murderer who got him to sign an album — perhaps this very album — and later shot him dead.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Firefighting crews worked Monday to cool residual heat and prevent hot spots from causing reignition, using chainsaws to fell and cut up hazardous trees, inspecting each section for heat and using hoses to extinguish any remaining embers.—
Forum News Service,
Twin Cities,
20 May 2026
-
The yearlong analysis, released just ahead of the busy beach holiday weekend, spotlights beaches that fared well in wet and dry conditions, but also troubled stretches of coast that have chronic issues that can be hazardous to beachgoers’ health.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
Perhaps most politically perilous, 31% of independents who voted for Trump in 2024 would not vote for him again in an election do-over.—
Tatishe Nteta,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
-
Cholera, a waterborne bacterial disease, has unleashed a perilous wave across southern Africa, with active outbreaks currently afflicting five countries in southern and central Africa.—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Blue-collar work tends to be more physically demanding and often risky.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
-
That is a risky combination in any enterprise setting.—
Emily Lewis-Pinnell,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Menacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menacing. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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