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
According to Bastille-Rousseau, the number of bobcats in Illinois started to decline in the 1970s and they were listed as a threatened population. — Elena Tittel, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026 However, the work, done with Tanzanian government partners, helps track threatened species and monitor human activity that endangers the region’s wildlife, making the few cameras lost in the process all the more worth it. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2026
Verb
The district’s board will vote Thursday on the demolition contract, part of an August 2025 settlement with homeowners who said the 50-foot lights intruded on their homes and threatened their property values. — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2026 The Ueno scandal threatened that reputation, raising questions about the government’s stewardship of public funds and the independence of its financial regulators. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 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 Devils Hole pupfish is a tiny, endangered fish found naturally in just one location in the world.
    — Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The discovery comes as the critically endangered species continues to face threats from fishing-gear entanglements and vessel strikes.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of endangered
Verb
  • The attacker also menaced the victim with a knife during the encounter, a police source said.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • While O’Brian challenged Fuentes, others have been menaced by his followers simply for trying to build public-facing careers as members of his movement, which has no apparent goals in electoral politics as a seismic midterm election cycle plays out.
    — Nathan Taylor Pemberton, Vanity Fair, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of menaced
Adjective
  • Brown also noted that Wexner has denied wrongdoing in connection to Epstein and has not been criminally charged nor found civilly liable.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Likewise, anyone who talks with empathy about incels is liable to be mocked.
    — Paul Bloom, New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of liable
Adjective
  • And party insiders blame Trump’s tariffs and war with Iran for creating a volatile Senate map that has left seats in red states like Nebraska and Kansas vulnerable.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Linn County prosecutors did not file criminal charges, but the church would not allow Moore to work with children, youth and vulnerable adults.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 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
  • Teams need visibility into agent behavior to investigate failures, roll back changes and stop unsafe execution.
    — Lakshmanan Alagappan, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Turns out, the missing piece was a red tag deeming it unsafe for occupancy.
    — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of unsafe
Adjective
  • Certain cat breeds are more susceptible to hereditary conditions, while illnesses such as diabetes and kidney disease can require treatment over many years.
    — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Declining vaccination rates have left growing numbers of children and adults susceptible to the virus, with multiple states experiencing sustained outbreaks of the disease.
    — Dhruti Shah, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 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

threaten
threatened
threatening
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Cite this Entry

“Threatened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threatened. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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