threatened; threatening
ˈthret-niŋ 
ˈthre-tᵊn-iŋ
1
: to utter threats against
2
3
: to announce as intended or possible
the workers threatened a strike
4
: to cause to feel insecure or anxious
felt threatened by his brother's success
Examples of threaten in a Sentence
The mugger threatened him with a gun.
She threatened to quit if they didn't give her a raise, but no one believed her.
Civil war has been threatening the country for years.
a marriage threatened by financial problems
Overfishing threatens the survival of certain fish species.
The latest news threatens trouble for the economy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Several analysts see the spending commitments as overtures to U.S. President Donald Trump, whose tariffs threaten to roil supply chains and raise costs for the technology industry.
—
Zaheer Kachwala and Aditya Soni, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
In 2023, saltwater in the Mississippi River advanced dangerously close to New Orleans, threatening the city's water supply and sending the city into a state of emergency.
—Kati Weis, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2025
Until then, an old issue with Newcastle’s tactical set up and ability to react in the game threatened to spoil the party.
—Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
The less Trump threatening Canada is in the headlines, the less the Conservatives are getting hammered by their inability to have a good position.
—Sean Collins, Vox, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for threaten
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Zaheer Kachwala and Aditya Soni, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
In 2023, saltwater in the Mississippi River advanced dangerously close to New Orleans, threatening the city's water supply and sending the city into a state of emergency.
—Kati Weis, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2025
Until then, an old issue with Newcastle’s tactical set up and ability to react in the game threatened to spoil the party.
—Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
The less Trump threatening Canada is in the headlines, the less the Conservatives are getting hammered by their inability to have a good position.
—Sean Collins, Vox, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for threaten
Cite this Entry
“Threaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threaten. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
threaten
verb
threat·en
ˈthret-ᵊn
threatened; threatening
ˈthret-niŋ
-ᵊn-iŋ
1
: to utter threats : make threats against
threaten trespassers with arrest
2
: to give signs or warning of
clouds threatening rain
3
: to be an imminent danger to : menace
hunger threatens the town
4
: to announce as intended or possible
the workers threatened a strike
threatened to buy a car
5
: to cause to feel insecure or anxious
felt threatened by his friend's success
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