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
Relevance
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
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of menace
Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Lighting by Jen Schriever and Arden is the show's secret weapon, sculpting the stage with moonlight, neon and menace.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Mary Clare Jalonick, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2026
Iran and its proxies have menaced America and American lives, undermined our core national interests, systematically destabilized the Middle East, and threatened the security of the entire West.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
Another shuts a door on an old-timer in the middle of his menacing monologue about an apocalyptic storm.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 29 Apr. 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 menace
Noun
The family documents describe comfortable lives and prosperous businesses blown apart by the war and the mounting Nazi menace.
—Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Lighting by Jen Schriever and Arden is the show's secret weapon, sculpting the stage with moonlight, neon and menace.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
Trump’s Republican Party, which narrowly controls the House and Senate, largely sees the conflict with Iran not as the start of a new war, but the end of a government that has long menaced the West.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2026
Iran and its proxies have menaced America and American lives, undermined our core national interests, systematically destabilized the Middle East, and threatened the security of the entire West.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Others take a more menacing tone, like a jaguar facing off with a dog in a snowy backyard.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
Another shuts a door on an old-timer in the middle of his menacing monologue about an apocalyptic storm.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 29 Apr. 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 menace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for menace
Noun
-
In the air, innocuous human behavior carries a sense of threat.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
Colorado homeowners were among the least likely in the nation to have purchased supplemental insurance riders (53%), even as wildfires, severe storms, and flooding continue to pose real threats.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2026
-
Also, as the only foreigners present in significant numbers, the North Koreans sent an ominous message about the current state of Russia’s alliances.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Battista and Tucker are two of the most dangerous hitters in the state.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
12 May 2026
-
If Iran gets away with charging any kind of toll or fee for passing through it, that principle is shot, and that is a dangerous thing.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Authorities have banned all activities within a 2½-mile danger zone around the crater, in line with recommendations from Indonesia’s volcanology agency.—
Niniek Karmini,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
-
Jagged pieces of cement push through the dirt as orange and white caution cones warn drivers of danger.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
These forces would collide on the Near West Side on a spring evening, against the backdrop of labor unrest, union activity and a hint of influence from a sinister anarchist movement.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
4 May 2026
-
In terms of all-time hero's journeys, his is up there, from his humble beginnings on Tatooine to learning of his sinister dad to becoming a Jedi master to sacrificing himself to help the Resistance.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
The building where the fire broke out has 107 housing code violations, including 39 that are considered immediately hazardous, building records show.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
-
As wildfires get more extreme, agency personnel have less time to reduce vegetation, known as hazardous fuels work, which sets the stage for even bigger blazes.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Zero-day is a cyber industry term referring to a security flaw that goes undiscovered by those who can fix it, making the vulnerability an even more threatening risk.—
Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
-
Her threatening remarks set off a criminal investigation and national security concerns.—
Jim Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
In the second novel of the Amina al-Sirafi fantasy series, Chakraborty sets her pirate protagonist out onto the high seas for some perilous pilfering after being dragged into her partner’s problems.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
8 May 2026
-
More than two months into the war in Iran, navigation through the Strait of Hormuz – the key waterway through which more than a third of the international trade in oil and gas passes – remains perilous and uncertain.—
Vivek Krishnamurthy,
The Conversation,
5 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Menace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menace. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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