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
Such detailed understanding is vital for conserving threatened elasmobranchs and their habitats. — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 The trees are considered vital for the future health of the forest and the survival of many rare and threatened species. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2026
Verb
The deal has been greenlit by UK authorities after culture secretary Lisa Nandy initially threatened to intervene. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026 This is the result of a campaign to discredit RCV with misinformation by politicians threatened by it. — Paul Haughey, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 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 City of Ripon is moving forward with an ordinance aimed at protecting an endangered species by prohibiting people from feeding feral cats and stray animals on public property.
    — Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Nature as environment, as landscape, as a force beyond the rational, and as a place where beauty and a primeval absence of bad intentions come together, has become either a commodity or an endangered space.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 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
  • Simpson was subsequently found liable in a civil case where the burden of proof was lower.
    — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Measures that would affect Meta’s algorithm would probably violate the 1st Amendment and Section 230, which protects platforms for being legally liable for content posted by its users.
    — Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of liable
Adjective
  • And while global child mortality data for 2025 won’t be available for several months, health officials are already bracing for a surge in deaths among the world’s youngest and most vulnerable.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • District leaders warned that the move could leave CPS vulnerable to midyear cuts if the money doesn’t materialize.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 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
  • Both recalls have caused alarm among consumers who fear some produce is unsafe to consume, or who no longer trust the systems designed to keep the nation's food supply safe.
    — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The adoption problem is already solved, but the literacy problem is invisible because admission is professionally unsafe.
    — Nohar Zmora, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsafe
Adjective
  • The two phantoms were designed to be adult females, since previous research found that breasts and ovaries are especially susceptible to radiation damage.
    — Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Without claim-level review capabilities, employers remain susceptible to inaccurate reimbursements regardless of efficiencies achieved through administrative processes.
    — Bruce Roffe, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of susceptible
Adjective
  • The fact that my life is so exposed is incredibly complex for me.
    — Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
  • What information the Paidwork leak reportedly exposed The exposed information appears to reach far beyond email addresses.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 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 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of threatened for Spanish Speakers

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