threatening

[thret-n-ing]

adjective

1. tending or intended to menace.

   threatening gestures.

2. causing alarm, as by being imminent; ominous; sinister.

   threatening clouds.

Other Word Forms

• threateningly adverb
• nonthreatening adjective
• nonthreateningly adverb
• unthreatening adjective
• unthreateningly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of threatening¹

First recorded in 1520–30; threaten + -ing ²

Synonym Study

See imminent, ominous.

Example Sentences

"He came right up in my face. I was shocked. When I pulled out my phone to record, he backed off - threatening to "smash my head in." as he walked away," Ali added.

Read more on BBC

The video appeared to show Kemkaran swearing and telling councillors to "suck it up" regarding some of her decisions, then later threatening to mute a councillor.

Read more on BBC

They said the extreme intensity of Hurricane Melissa this week is another sign of how the altered climate is threatening lives and communities on an unprecedented scale.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Beijing announced plans to tighten restrictions in October, which led to the U.S. threatening an 100% additional tariff on Chinese goods.

Read more on Barron's

Millions of dollars Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is threatening to yank from California over claims the state continues to issue commercial driver’s licenses to noncitizens.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• aggressive 
• alarming 
• cautionary 
• dangerous 
• dire 
• sinister 
• ugly