1
as in impending
giving signs of immediate occurrence
economists warning of a threatening recession
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
a threatening silence followed the loud thump in the adjoining motel room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury
threatening rocks lined that narrow stretch of the river through which we would be rafting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in menacing
to remain poised to inflict harm, danger, or distress on
the powerful hurricane continues to threaten the southern coastline
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of threatening
Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Like trick-or-treating, ding-dong-ditch pranks can escalate, with some versions targeting the same homeowner repeatedly or battering on a door in a threatening manner.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
By learning from these craftspeople, AIs can now replace them in offering advice, thus threatening to render the original human experts obsolete.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for threatening
Adjective
Lively’s lawyers claim Sarowitz made a threatening comment about their client to the individual.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Like trick-or-treating, ding-dong-ditch pranks can escalate, with some versions targeting the same homeowner repeatedly or battering on a door in a threatening manner.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
Trump signed a memo this week threatening to ban direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription medications, theoretically driving down pharma revenues.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
By learning from these craftspeople, AIs can now replace them in offering advice, thus threatening to render the original human experts obsolete.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for threatening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for threatening
Adjective
-
Congress also faces an impending shutdown at the end of the month.—
Isabella Volmert,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
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Well, the moon-planet-star trio are among the brightest objects in our solar system, meaning the impending conjunction should be incredibly easy to spot for even the most amateur astronomers.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
10 Sep. 2025
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Headlines about Social Security are equally ominous.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Demonizing or attempting to eliminate those who think differently – literally or symbolically – has become a dangerous norm, which is all too evident in the wake of the Kirk shooting.—
Arash Javanbakht,
The Conversation,
15 Sep. 2025
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During volatile periods, this becomes especially dangerous because customer loyalty becomes more fragile and harder to rebuild.—
Talbott Roche,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Whatever, Dever quickly recanted her earlier precise testimony to the FBI about the sinister doings by those two dodgy cops behind Karen Read’s SUV.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
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The Haunted Carwash was the sinister concoction of spooky enthusiasts Long Vo and Veronica Young of Huntington Beach.—
Charlie Vargas,
Oc Register,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Try dropping these items at a local hazardous waste disposal site.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Sep. 2025
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Longshore currents can sweep swimmers and surfers into rip currents, piers, jetties, and other hazardous areas.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Stephanie Householder was charged with 22 felonies, including abuse or neglect of a child and endangering the welfare of a child.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
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Though Smith was charged with four counts of assault for scaring and endangering the villagers, troopers did not say he was involved in his mother’s death.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The shift has profound implications in House districts across the country, seeping into Democratic primaries as a possible liability for more centrist members.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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New downloads of Weather are no longer possible on Wear OS 6 devices from third-party manufacturers, such as Samsung, OnePlus and others.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Threatening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threatening. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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