hover (over)

as in to threaten
to remain poised to inflict harm, danger, or distress on after the first big layoff, the possibility of losing their jobs hovered over all of the factory's workers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hover (over)
threaten
Verb
  • Diddy's former assistant George Kaplan says rapper threatened his job 'monthly' Kaplan, who worked as Combs' executive assistant from 2014-2015, testified on May 21 that the rapper threatened his job on an almost monthly basis.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • Netanyahu put all of his chips on Trump nonetheless—a wager that now threatens to cost the Israeli prime minister the remnants of his legacy.
    Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hover (over).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hover%20%28over%29. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!