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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of menacing
Barry Levitt, Time, 12 Dec. 2025
Even Savage’s jokes about menacing opps riding mass transit tacitly acknowledge risk.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
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
Advertisement Here, Rob reveals his true menacing nature, and convinces Frankie that Betsy's falling is his fault.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 12 Dec. 2025
Even Savage’s jokes about menacing opps riding mass transit tacitly acknowledge risk.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
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
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One prospect is as ominous as that of a government capturing its universities for political purposes — a government encouraging antisemitism under the guise of opposing it.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Jan. 2026
-
But experts warn that the Iranian regime has learned an ominous lesson.—
Ilan Berman,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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More than a billion phones are now ineligible for security updates at a time when the threat landscape has never been more dangerous.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The church opened its warming center over the weekend, anticipating the arrival of the winter storm and the dangerous drop in temperatures.—
Leondra Head,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Gonzales has pleaded not guilty to 29 counts of endangering or abandoning a child.—
Matthew J. Friedman,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
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Leaving the camp at that point would only mean endangering everyone’s fate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has also escalated economic pressure on allies, threatening Canada with 100% tariffs over its business dealings with China and hitting Europe with new tariffs before backing down amid resistance to his territorial ambitions in Greenland.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
28 Jan. 2026
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Earlier this month, Powell said the Justice Department served the Fed grand jury subpoenas threatening a criminal indictment over Powell’s testimony before the Senate Banking Committee last year.—
Ty Roush,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The same sad and sinister menace occupying 1600 Penn.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The character was previously only seen from behind or in close-ups of his hands petting his sinister white kitty.—
Sezin Devi Koehler,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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This week, a powerful winter storm dumped a hazardous mix of snow, ice, and sleet across much of the United States, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of homes, grounding flights, closing schools, and disrupting the lives of more than 200 million Americans.—
Cat Ward,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Most areas in North Texas were covered in ice, sleet and snow, creating hazardous conditions.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Moreover, investing in a single stock without thorough analysis can be perilous.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Both North Texas and neighboring Oklahoma are expected to be hit hard by the winter storm, with both anticipating perilous roadway conditions and power outages from a combination of freezing rain, ice, sleet, snow and strong wind gusts.—
Lauren Caruba,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Dell is finally good at something—but as her behavior becomes riskier and a shadowy troll threatens to expose her dark past, Dell must reckon with what her digital life ignores, and what real redemption means.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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The statistic is built on what specific living individuals are willing to pay for small risk reductions in their own lives (often estimated via surveys or observing wage premiums for risky jobs).—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Menacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menacing. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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