threatened

adjective

threat·​ened ˈthre-tᵊnd How to pronounce threatened (audio)
: having an uncertain chance of continued survival
a threatened species
specifically : likely to become an endangered species

Examples of threatened in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The move follows in the wake of threatened boycotts by Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia and Iceland amid growing international condemnation of Israel’s near-two-year military campaign in Gaza. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025 In May, a sprawling bamboo scaffold was built in the courtyard of Venice’s Campo della Tana, as part of a showcase exploring the diverse and often juxtaposing aspects of public space in Hong Kong, with a focus on threatened heritage. Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025 Sharks, rays, and chimaeras are among the most threatened vertebrate groups on the planet, second only to amphibians; according to the IUCN Red List, 37% of these species are at risk of extinction (and one species is already extinct). Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025 Decline in local monarch sightings In recent years, monarch butterflies have been at risk of being a threatened species, as their population numbers have decreased, Vargo said. Alyssa N. Salcedo, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for threatened

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of threatened was in 1960

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Cite this Entry

“Threatened.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threatened. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.

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