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
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Recent Examples of threatening
Tristan Bove, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026
One of the vehicles involved reportedly struck two utility poles and non-life threatening injuries were reported.
—Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Jan. 2026
Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 21 Jan. 2026
Like telling the New York Giants which coach to hire, posing with a Nobel Peace Prize that was not his, threatening political enemies, flipping off a heckler during a tour of a Detroit automaker, seeking to deploy troops to Minneapolis and wanting to make Canada our 51st state.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for threatening
Adjective
As young Americans grow disillusioned by tales of crushing student debt loads, a tight labor market for entry-level jobs, and the threatening possibility that artificial intelligence might usurp some of those roles in the near future anyway, many are looking into other educational pathways.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026
One of the vehicles involved reportedly struck two utility poles and non-life threatening injuries were reported.
—Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
One of Iran’s most recent threats came from Mohammad-Javad Larijani, a former senior adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khomeini, during the 12 Day War last year, threatening a drone strike against the president at Mar-a-Lago.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 21 Jan. 2026
Like telling the New York Giants which coach to hire, posing with a Nobel Peace Prize that was not his, threatening political enemies, flipping off a heckler during a tour of a Detroit automaker, seeking to deploy troops to Minneapolis and wanting to make Canada our 51st state.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for threatening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for threatening
Adjective
-
So researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota developed a system that uses real-time signals to warn about impending issues.—
Michelle Fay Cortez,
Bloomberg,
5 Jan. 2026
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Instead, must investigate the history of the colony and attempt to save it from an impending disaster, all while struggling to survive in the harsh lunar environment devoid of oxygen.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Episodes are bound together by banal introductory voiceover, in which our narrator recites ominous clichés that, like everything in His & Hers, border on parody.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
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More ominous still is the thought of the FanDuel mentality extending into other areas of American life.—
Rand Richards Cooper,
Hartford Courant,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Placing your carbon monoxide detector in the proper location can alert you to dangerous levels of the invisible gas, which is unfortunately more likely to occur with the use of personal space heaters.—
Shivani Vyas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2026
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The Charlotte region faces a harsh night on Thursday, including dangerous wind chills, according to the National Weather Service.—
Mark Price
January 13,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Chinese, too, are absolutely shocked that a great power is menacing a small neighbor and inflicting regime change by military force.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
3 Jan. 2026
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As the two catch up, Crudup veers from good-natured to sorrowful to bitter to menacing in a matter of minutes.—
Jenelle Riley,
Variety,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Peters is recognized for playing dark, sinister characters.—
Olivia Singh,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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In Biden’s four-year term, evidence was gathered, a case was prepared and the prosecution was implemented against Epstein’s sinister accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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This situation poses substantial danger by impeding emergency response efforts, as hazardous road conditions may prevent timely assistance.—
Matt Randolph,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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The National Weather Service said that hazardous conditions will impact the Thursday morning commute.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Gonzales has pleaded not guilty to 29 counts of endangering or abandoning a child.—
Matthew J. Friedman,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
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Leaving the camp at that point would only mean endangering everyone’s fate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Now Jabra has developed a new class of enterprise headset that can counter these issues by providing the clearest audio quality possible with the ability to filter out the ambient noise of an open-plan office or a busy café.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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These conditions can make driving challenging, so exercise extreme caution on the road, and if possible, consider delaying your trip.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Threatening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threatening. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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