menacing

[men-i-sing]

adjective

1. expressing or serving as a menace or threat: menacing language.

   his menacing glare;

   menacing language.

Other Word Forms

• menacingly adverb
• nonmenacing adjective
• unmenacing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of menacing¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; menace ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Synonym Study

See ominous.

Example Sentences

The low, menacing hum of those Iranian-designed weapons, which carry a lethal 50kg payload, is now all too familiar, not only to soldiers on the front line, but to Ukrainians everywhere.

Read more on BBC

American allies are equally victims of China’s mercantilism, and they don’t like how it’s menacing the neighborhood and abetting Russia’s grinding war in Ukraine.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In the prosecution's closing speech, Mr Ratliff said the alleged threat to kill was "not some off-the-cuff comment" and the video was "sinister and menacing".

Read more on BBC

He is a delight to watch - even just the sight of him strolling the corridors with his hood up trying to look menacing makes you laugh.

Read more on BBC

"It's insane that the smell of cannabis alone, or somebody wearing a menacing mask alone, does not generally allow, legally, a stop and search," he said.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• alarming 
• dangerous 
• frightening www.thesaurus.com
• threatening