as in to endanger
to remain poised to inflict harm, danger, or distress on
the powerful hurricane continues to threaten the southern coastline
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Recent Examples of threaten
At the same time, those gains continue to be threatened as powerful, dry winds ignite and intensify flames.
—
Juliana Kim, NPR, 10 Jan. 2025
The Eaton Fire, which has burned over 13,000 acres, continues to threaten homes and has led to widespread evacuations.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 10 Jan. 2025
Popular entertainment venues including the Hollywood Bowl and TCL Chinese Theatre were threatened by the spreading flames but remained largely unharmed Thursday.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2025
Lenny is controlled, powerful and effortlessly threatening, all from beneath a veneer that seems reasonable and almost warm.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for threaten 
Juliana Kim, NPR, 10 Jan. 2025
The Eaton Fire, which has burned over 13,000 acres, continues to threaten homes and has led to widespread evacuations.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 10 Jan. 2025
Popular entertainment venues including the Hollywood Bowl and TCL Chinese Theatre were threatened by the spreading flames but remained largely unharmed Thursday.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2025
Lenny is controlled, powerful and effortlessly threatening, all from beneath a veneer that seems reasonable and almost warm.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for threaten
Thesaurus Entries Near threaten
Cite this Entry
“Threaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threaten. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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