THREATENED Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

threatened 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of threatened

as in endangered

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Dissimilar Words

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

In 2016, about 6,000 union members were deemed too essential to public health and safety to participate in the threatened walkout, news organization KPBS reported at the time. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026 Celebración de los Árboles Lisle, Illinois At The Morton Arboretum, Celebración de los Árboles (September 26-27) sheds light on the arboretum’s conservation work to protect threatened trees and ecosystems in Latin America. — Ashlyn Ware, Midwest Living, 15 Sep. 2026

Verb

Young people who are subjected to or threatened with conversion therapy had nearly three times higher odds of suicidal ideation than those who aren’t. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 21 Oct. 2026 Hill then took the baby to the balcony of the condo, which is on the 35th floor, and threatened to leave. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for threatened

Recent Examples of Synonyms for threatened

Adjective

Historic Kansas City, a local historic preservation group, has released its list of the Kansas City area’s most endangered buildings for the first time in five years.

— Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
In 2011, former President Barack Obama signed a law removing wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains from the endangered species list, a change that removed federal prohibitions on killing or harassing them in that region.

— Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 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

In March, a jury found Meta and YouTube liable for creating products that led to harmful and addictive behavior by young users.

— Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
The judge also found the city liable because Harris had final authority to enforce the public-participation policy during council meetings.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of liable

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

Tom describes himself as uniquely susceptible to this kind of stimulation, something that Kenny, the Mount Sinai neuroscientist, says may have some credence.

— Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
The United States also has a uniquely large and diverse economy that is far less susceptible to shocks than many of its smaller peers.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of susceptible

Adjective

The end result would be a gassy surface shining as brightly as a more exposed black hole but with the Balmer break and smooth red hump of a 5,000-kelvin star, de Graaff and Naidu theorized.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026
Morgan Stanley said Equinix and Digital Realty are less exposed because their facilities average roughly 5 to 10 megawatts, far below the gigawatt-scale AI campuses planned by hyperscalers and neocloud operators.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of exposed

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“Threatened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threatened. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of threatened

adjective

verb

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