threatened; threatening
ˈthret-niŋ 
ˈthre-tᵊn-iŋ
1
: to utter threats against
2
3
: to announce as intended or possible
the workers threatened a strike
4
: to cause to feel insecure or anxious
felt threatened by his brother's success
Synonyms
Examples of threaten in a Sentence
The mugger threatened him with a gun.
She threatened to quit if they didn't give her a raise, but no one believed her.
Civil war has been threatening the country for years.
a marriage threatened by financial problems
Overfishing threatens the survival of certain fish species.
The latest news threatens trouble for the economy.
Recent Examples on the Web
The vice president would not have been threatened with a hanging.
—
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2025
Daniel Dink Phipps: Convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers during the Capitol breach, including threatening and resisting officers.
—Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
Snowfall in New Orleans threatened a record set 130 years ago.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2025
The more populous yet still threatened loggerhead turtles feed on shrimp and shellfish, as well as jellyfish, and also maintain the balance of marine life.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for threaten 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2025
Daniel Dink Phipps: Convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers during the Capitol breach, including threatening and resisting officers.
—Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
Snowfall in New Orleans threatened a record set 130 years ago.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2025
The more populous yet still threatened loggerhead turtles feed on shrimp and shellfish, as well as jellyfish, and also maintain the balance of marine life.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for threaten
Dictionary Entries Near threaten
Cite this Entry
“Threaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threaten. Accessed 26 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
threaten
verb
threat·en
ˈthret-ᵊn
threatened; threatening
ˈthret-niŋ
-ᵊn-iŋ
1
: to utter threats : make threats against
threaten trespassers with arrest
2
: to give signs or warning of
clouds threatening rain
3
: to be an imminent danger to : menace
hunger threatens the town
4
: to announce as intended or possible
the workers threatened a strike
threatened to buy a car
5
: to cause to feel insecure or anxious
felt threatened by his friend's success
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