threatened 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of threatenednext
as in endangered

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threatened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of threaten
as in menaced
to remain poised to inflict harm, danger, or distress on the powerful hurricane continues to threaten the southern coastline

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of threatened
Adjective
The plaintiffs stressed that the detention center had been put in a freshwater wetland near Everglades National Park, a pristine ecosystem inhabited by dozens of threatened or endangered species and not far from a Miccosukee village. — Eric Schlosser, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026 North Carolina’s beaches are a nesting ground for multiple species of threatened or endangered sea turtles, including loggerheads, greens, Kemp’s ridleys, leatherbacks and hawksbills, federal officials say. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 1 June 2026
Verb
Soto’s fielding error and a walk threatened to ruin Manaea’s decent start, but Tyler Tolbert’s bunt with two outs and two on amounted to nothing. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 July 2026 Another round of thunderstorms threatened to renew flooding in Des Moines on Wednesday night, July 8. — Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for threatened
Recent Examples of Synonyms for threatened
  1. endangered
  2. menaced
  3. liable
  4. vulnerable
  5. imperiled
  6. unsafe
  7. susceptible
  8. exposed
Adjective
  • The nonprofit serves as a de facto pro bono law firm for endangered species, with clients as diverse as polar bears in the Arctic and skinks in the Florida Keys.
    — Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
  • As Kebbel sees it, Aquamarine encapsulates an endangered genre of entertainment — the kind made for the girls who, like Hailey and Claire, are making the transition from childhood to teendom.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026
Definition of endangered
Verb
  • He was menaced in the English countryside last month by a man shouting at him from 50 yards away, according to British outlet The Telegraph.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 6 June 2026
  • The little people are being menaced by a dark force—a force with power, money, and very few moral inhibitions.
    — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
Definition of menaced
Adjective
  • The Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal in the case, seeking to determine whether federal law bars states from holding a company liable for failing to include a warning that the EPA reviewed and chose not to require.
    — Sarah J. Morath, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
  • My records show that pike are liable to begin a feeding spree anytime during the day.
    — Jack G. Mell, Outdoor Life, 2 July 2026
Definition of liable
Adjective
  • Unlike wealthy nations with the reserves and infrastructure to buffer the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, import-dependent economies are more vulnerable to immediate, cascading supply chain shocks.
    — Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • Adopted by the Atlanta City Council this spring, the initiative offers a framework to hold the city accountable for protecting workers’ rights and address the needs of vulnerable populations, among other goals, during World Cup games.
    — DeAsia Paige, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of vulnerable
Adjective
  • Nearly 40% of Mount Pinos, lodgepole chipmunk, an imperiled subspecies of the lodgepole chipmunk, also live in roadless areas in California.
    — Mariah Meek, The Conversation, 15 June 2026
  • There are many issues in the last year that show the commission needs a change at the top, including the Florida black bear hunt and the recent failure of the commissioners to fully, completely and finally stop the capture of wild imperiled and threatened marine life for exhibit.
    — Joe Murphy, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 May 2026
Definition of imperiled
Adjective
  • Officials said the structure remains unsafe, and the county's 150-foot safety perimeter around the building will stay in place.
    — Drew Aunkst, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • Bloomfield says they might get shipped overseas to places where recycling is done in unsafe and dirty conditions.
    — Camila Domonoske, NPR, 13 July 2026
Definition of unsafe
Adjective
  • Each saw human nature as susceptible to corruption by base impulses and self-interest.
    — Donovan Fifield, The Conversation, 16 July 2026
  • FODMAPs get fermented by colonic bacteria, producing gas and causing bloating and other gastrointestinal symptoms in susceptible individuals.
    — Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 15 July 2026
Definition of susceptible
Adjective
  • Some of the industry's fastest-growing markets are also the most exposed, the study found.
    — Diana Olick, CNBC, 18 June 2026
  • The jobs generations of students were steered toward are among the most exposed.
    — Philomena V. Mantella, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026
Definition of exposed

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Cite this Entry

“Threatened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threatened. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of threatened for Spanish Speakers

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