threatened 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of threatenednext
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
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 Tucson, Arizona, Santa Fe, New Mexico and Cedar City, Utah are among the cities in threatened zones. — ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
Verb
Unlike an appeal, the post-conviction process allows a petitioner to introduce new information, such as new allegations or evidence that their attorney coerced or threatened them. — Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2026 Vaccaro Hill testified during the trial that Hill shoved her to the ground, twisted her breasts, pulled her hair and threatened her. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 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
  • 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
  • The exact location of the remaining wild grove in Australia is kept secret to help protect the endangered species.
    — Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 13 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
  • Unusually, adult children can (in rare cases) be liable to pay for parents’ care if the parents run out of money.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Seydoux plays Lucy, an experimental pianist who moves with her beloved but panic attack-liable husband Philip (Laurence Rupp) and young son to a rural farmhouse in Bavaria.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of liable
Adjective
  • The network of large bases that Washington built after the 1991 Gulf War is now vulnerable to Iranian drones and ballistic missiles, offering Tehran targets and leverage rather than deterring it from taking military action.
    — Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Inflation risks mount India is among the countries most vulnerable to the supply disruptions caused by the Iran war.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 12 Oct. 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
  • Red means the location is closed, a sign of unsafe operating conditions and severe destruction to the restaurant or nearby communities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The provider had been involved in a fatal mistake, the lawsuit alleges, but KCFD delayed a hearing while unsafe practices continued.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsafe
Adjective
  • Although generally hardy, the plant is susceptible to certain diseases, including anthracnose and bacterial soft rot, as well as pests such as spider mites, caterpillars, and whiteflies.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026
  • But neither the agency nor industry players have banned bets that could be susceptible to manipulation or raised the minimum age to bet on prediction markets to 21, the source said, up from the current minimum of 18.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 8 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

Browse Nearby Words

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threatening
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Cite this Entry

“Threatened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threatened. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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