menacing

adjective

men·​ac·​ing ˈme-nə-siŋ How to pronounce menacing (audio)
: 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
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Other charges include multiple counts of burglary, assault, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon. Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025 In the movie, the pair are tasked with capturing a menacing beast who’s been eating the veggies from everyone’s gardens. Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025 But Olympia is actually the more menacing work, precisely because it’s considered more benign and laudable. Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 27 Oct. 2025 That a war was on, or latent, or menacing during the whole shooting period set the quixotic mood in which most of the obstacles were confronted. Susan Sontag, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for menacing

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of menacing was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Menacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/menacing. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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