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

Slimani is a hardened criminal made less menacing by Kateb’s faltering rhythms in English, the gang’s lingua franca. —Ben Kenigsberg, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025

Others see something darker and more menacing for the country and its future. —Chris Megerian, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025

Munoz was arrested on multiple counts, including first-degree kidnapping, menacing, unlawful use of a weapon and burglary, police said. —Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 3 Feb. 2025

He was wanted for burglary and felony menacing for an incident at an apartment complex in Aurora last August that was captured on camera, according to the Aurora Police Department. —Eric Levenson, CNN, 29 Jan. 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