1
as in impending
giving signs of immediate occurrence
economists warning of a threatening recession
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
a threatening silence followed the loud thump in the adjoining motel room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury
threatening rocks lined that narrow stretch of the river through which we would be rafting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in menacing
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 threatening
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Survivor all-star Christian Hubicki was kind to Jimmy Fallon, not even screaming at, threatening, or lunging toward the host who ruined his game on Survivor 50.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
Then Spirit went out of business, threatening to raise ticket prices even further.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for threatening
Adjective
Three others sustained serious injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Survivor all-star Christian Hubicki was kind to Jimmy Fallon, not even screaming at, threatening, or lunging toward the host who ruined his game on Survivor 50.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
In charging Comey with threatening the president with death, the Department of Justice completely misinterpreted the shells’ symbolism.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
Then Spirit went out of business, threatening to raise ticket prices even further.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for threatening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for threatening
Adjective
-
The impending end of the Colbert era was weighing on them all.—
Mark Yarm,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Though signs of its impending closure were all around this past weekend, the New Black Wall Street Market was having one last hurrah.—
Zachary Hansen,
AJC.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As the cave shakes and thunders, the scene gets more ominous.—
Megan duBois,
Southern Living,
4 May 2026
-
Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Gabriel Basso stars as Sutherland, a formerly low-level FBI agent who has taken on increasingly dangerous assignments as part of a counterintelligence group within the bureau called Night Action.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
4 May 2026
-
Bessent has compared the Fed's growing balance sheet to a dangerous lab experiment.—
Steve Liesman,Matt Peterson,
CNBC,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Santiago was charged with menacing a police officer and criminal possession of a weapon.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Some argue that the only way to stop Iran from menacing the region and its people is to crush this regime.—
Dennis Ross,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
These forces would collide on the Near West Side on a spring evening, against the backdrop of labor unrest, union activity and a hint of influence from a sinister anarchist movement.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
4 May 2026
-
In terms of all-time hero's journeys, his is up there, from his humble beginnings on Tatooine to learning of his sinister dad to becoming a Jedi master to sacrificing himself to help the Resistance.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
The building where the fire broke out has 107 housing code violations, including 39 that are considered immediately hazardous, building records show.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
-
As wildfires get more extreme, agency personnel have less time to reduce vegetation, known as hazardous fuels work, which sets the stage for even bigger blazes.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
British authorities arrested a man from Sudan on suspicion of endangering life in that case.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 May 2026
-
The same nurses hailed as essential workers during the pandemic are now dealing with the impact of ICE raids and ICE presence in hospitals, endangering nurses and their patients.—
Sonia Lawrence,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
The company has raced to buy as much computing power as possible, making $600 billion in spending commitments last year.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Determined to rise to the occasion and work out every possible kink, Daisy sets out to resolve conflicts between the stews and in the galley.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Threatening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threatening. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
