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
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Recent Examples of menace
Naveen Kumar, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
But if the ceasefire holds and negotiations are successful, the world could see an Iran that, at least, is no longer a menace to its neighbors.
—Donald Heflin, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2026
Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2026
Extreme heat fuels out of control bushfires Bushfires, fueled by the soaring temperatures, have menaced towns in the state of Victoria, prompting evacuations as volunteer firefighters attempted to douse flames around homes.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
The tiers would include dangerous animals, potentially dangerous animals and menacing animals.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Dennis Ross, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 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 menace
Noun
Men are softened or eroticized, and their capacity for menace diminished.
—Naveen Kumar, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
But if the ceasefire holds and negotiations are successful, the world could see an Iran that, at least, is no longer a menace to its neighbors.
—Donald Heflin, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
There’s real, sweat-inducing tension to scenes where Esther, alone at home with her children, is encircled and menaced by mobs of men preying on the easiest of targets.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2026
Extreme heat fuels out of control bushfires Bushfires, fueled by the soaring temperatures, have menaced towns in the state of Victoria, prompting evacuations as volunteer firefighters attempted to douse flames around homes.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Anyone who watched The Handmaid’s Tale — and I’d wager that’s nearly everyone here — knows this, which is what makes its reiteration in the prologue to The Testaments so menacing.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
The tiers would include dangerous animals, potentially dangerous animals and menacing animals.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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
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 menace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for menace
Noun
-
Court records show a trail of threats preceded Tiffany Woods’ death.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Damaging winds over 60mph will be the biggest threat.—
Mary Ours,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The agency also rescinded the legal and scientific basis that had long established greenhouse gases as dangerous to public health.—
Stephanie Armour,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
From a darkly comic road rage incident to something more ambiguous, and potentially more dangerous; from the open roads of Southern California to an exclusive country club in Montecito; and from a couple of strangers in conflict to two actual couples in conflict with each other — and themselves.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Other signs warned of danger from crumbling masonry overhead, though there was none of the scaffolding that might accompany such notices.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Red danger flags were flying due to ocean conditions.—
Joan Murray,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Needless to say, something very sinister and deadly lies at the end of their path.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The author, known for sinister tales like The Whistler and Sisters of the Lost Nation, has built a reputation for reinventing classic horror tropes by weaving in Native American folklore and stories passed down from his grandmother, an elder of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Photos shared by the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office showed the hazardous road conditions as well as the aftermath of the collisions.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Most hazardous leaks are caused by third-party digging.—
Lexi Salazar,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
With all manner of industries constricting and AI threatening entry-level positions, many people have become delivery drivers, full-time or as an economically necessary side gig.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
-
In severe cases, excessive inflammation can become life-threatening.—
Panteha Torabian,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The bloc doesn’t have a mechanism to expel a wayward member, but Western diplomats told me that brazen electoral theft would inaugurate a perilous new era.—
Isaac Stanley-Becker,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Four astronauts are preparing for a perilous return through Earth's atmosphere to make a splashdown near California and put the finishing touches on a moon-circling mission that will etch their names in history.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Menace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menace. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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