as in to endanger
to remain poised to inflict harm, danger, or distress on
the powerful hurricane continues to threaten the southern coastline
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of threaten
Ashe imagined a hypothetical scenario in which the school’s security force became like Haiti’s notorious secret police, the Tonton Macoute, whose officers not only threatened newspaper reporters, but also assaulted, extorted and tortured innocent citizens.
—
David McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
At least 90 people have died and rescue workers are continuing to search for survivors as more heavy rain threatens additional flooding in Texas this week.
—George Petras, USA Today, 8 July 2025
But the legal wrangling over the preventive coverage mandates also threatened to put at risk access to preventive care.
—June 27, CBS News, 27 June 2025
The children are then threatened with many fictional stories, ending with them being kidnapped by Lu Mamau, who, by putting them in his sack, takes them with him forever, far away to his dark and unknown lair.
—Photovogue, Vogue, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for threaten
David McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
At least 90 people have died and rescue workers are continuing to search for survivors as more heavy rain threatens additional flooding in Texas this week.
—George Petras, USA Today, 8 July 2025
But the legal wrangling over the preventive coverage mandates also threatened to put at risk access to preventive care.
—June 27, CBS News, 27 June 2025
The children are then threatened with many fictional stories, ending with them being kidnapped by Lu Mamau, who, by putting them in his sack, takes them with him forever, far away to his dark and unknown lair.
—Photovogue, Vogue, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for threaten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for threaten
Verb
-
They are endangered and their global population has declined 40% in the last three generations, according to the NOAA.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
13 July 2025
-
Just one incident can endanger life and necessitate an expensive manufacturer recall even if nobody got hurt.—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
Verb
-
And that burgeoning population, menaced by poverty and the police, felt the city’s malignance.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
14 June 2025
-
The August 2024 blaze forced some people to flee as the flames menaced their homes, witnesses told this news organization.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Threaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threaten. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share