Synonyms of threaten

threaten

verb

ˈthre-tᵊn 

as in to endanger

to remain poised to inflict harm, danger, or distress on

the powerful hurricane continues to threaten the southern coastline

Synonyms & Similar Words

• endanger
• menace
• hang (over)
• jeopardize
• imperil
• hover (over)
• impend (over)
• overhang
• hazard
• peril

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of threaten

When a development scheme threatens Abu Khalil’s home and the old village, Yusuf brings together his former rivals to protect Montreal’s heritage. — Ed Meza, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026

But Mark, in Ronson’s telling, quickly grows antagonistic, abruptly asking Ronson to sign an NDA, then later barraging him with suspicious texts and threatening him with a pair of goons. — Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026

China’s minister of state security wrote in a weekend essay that AI posed six principal risks from his perspective, including threatening the security of the country’s political regime, digital infrastructure, public order, and national defense. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Risks of a slowdown in AI frontier development threaten the technology’s investment case, according to Neil Wilson, UK strategist at investment bank Saxo. — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026