menacing

adjective

men·​ac·​ing ˈme-nə-siŋ 

: presenting, suggesting, or constituting a menace or threat : threatening

a menacing look

menacing words

[Harold E. Edgerton] … was also one of the first to take photographs of the menacing mushroom cloud emanating from a nuclear blast.

—Benjamin Genocchio

Ransomware is a menacing scam that involves locking businesses out of their computers and demanding payment of a ransom in exchange for the return of company systems and data.

—Roger Williams

The image is chilling: a series of menacing bear traps laid out like footsteps.

—Emily DeNitto

menacingly adverb

A man stepped menacingly from the corner brandishing a long pole …

—Elizabeth George Speare

"If you shout his name I will curse you into oblivion," muttered Tonks menacingly …

—J. K. Rowling

Examples of menacing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For instance, instead of the menacing roars popularized by Jurassic Park, the instruments often produce gentler conversation sounds, suggesting a social, communicative side to these animals. —Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025

From there, the story is too exciting to reveal, except to say that someone presumed dead makes a menacing appearance. —Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 14 Sep. 2025

If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter. —Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 13 Sep. 2025

Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, and Charlie Plummer star as some of the young boys in this gnarly competition while Mark Hamill is the Major, the menacing officer supervising the walk. —Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 13 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English manacyng, from present participle of manacen "to menace entry 2"

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above