threaten

verb

threat·​en ˈthre-tᵊn How to pronounce threaten (audio)
threatened; threatening ˈthret-niŋ How to pronounce threaten (audio)
ˈthre-tᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

1
: to utter threats against
2
a
: to give signs or warning of : portend
the clouds threatened rain
b
: to hang over dangerously : menace
famine threatens the city
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

intransitive verb

1
: to utter threats
2
: to portend evil
threatener
ˈthret-nər How to pronounce threaten (audio)
ˈthre-tᵊn-ər
noun

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
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.
Instead of awarding subsidies, though, Trump wants to punish chipmakers who do business outside the US, threatening to impose tariffs on semiconductor imports potentially as soon as April 2. Ars Technica, 11 Mar. 2025 Ontario Premier Doug Ford has threatened a 25 percent surcharge on electricity exports to the U.S. in retaliation for the tariffs. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025 The order mandates investigations into educational institutions suspected of promoting these ideologies and threatens criminal prosecution for educators facilitating the social transition of transgender minors. Scott White, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025 Season 4 picks up as Johnson faces new and dangerous adversaries who threaten to dismantle everything he’s built. Okla Jones, Essence, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for threaten

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of threaten was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Threaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threaten. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

threaten

verb
threat·​en ˈthret-ᵊn How to pronounce threaten (audio)
threatened; threatening ˈthret-niŋ How to pronounce threaten (audio)
-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
threateningly
ˈthret-niŋ-lē How to pronounce threaten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ-
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on threaten

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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