threatening
adjective
threat·en·ing
ˈthret-niŋ 
ˈthre-tᵊn-iŋ
: expressing or suggesting a threat of harm, danger, etc.
received a threatening message
a threatening manner
: indicating or suggesting the approach of possible trouble or danger
saw threatening clouds on the horizon
Examples of threatening in a Sentence
economists warning of a threatening recession
a threatening silence followed the loud thump in the adjoining motel room
threatening rocks lined that narrow stretch of the river through which we would be rafting
Recent Examples on the Web
Freddie's breed can come across as less threatening than other, larger dogs, creating a calmer environment for everyone.
—
Adam Hudacek, CBS News, 9 July 2025
One other victim was admitted with severe injuries, while the other three had less threatening injuries, according to the San Francisco Police Department.
—Bay City News Service, Mercury News, 6 July 2025
One way to understand this is with the help of benign violation theory, which talks about how people laugh at something that’s typically threatening or uncomfortable, as long as it’s presented in a non-threatening, socially acceptable way.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
The brain stores the new memory in the same place as the original trauma, which can make the original memory feel less threatening.
—Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for threatening
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Adam Hudacek, CBS News, 9 July 2025
One other victim was admitted with severe injuries, while the other three had less threatening injuries, according to the San Francisco Police Department.
—Bay City News Service, Mercury News, 6 July 2025
One way to understand this is with the help of benign violation theory, which talks about how people laugh at something that’s typically threatening or uncomfortable, as long as it’s presented in a non-threatening, socially acceptable way.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
The brain stores the new memory in the same place as the original trauma, which can make the original memory feel less threatening.
—Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for threatening
Cite this Entry
“Threatening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threatening. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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