menace
noun
something that threatens to cause evil, harm, injury, etc.; a threat.
had been menacing
-
past perfect progressiveof menace.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Prosecutor Peter Joyce KC told the trial the atmosphere in The Crown Inn had been "menacing, threatening, argumentative and disputing" because of Gothard's behaviour.
From BBC ● May 7, 2026
In that case, the bull had been menacing a gull, and when the bird flew away, the bull likely transferred its aggression to a nearby baby.
From National Geographic ● Aug. 16, 2017
It was a replacement for the SS-4s and SS-5s, with which the Soviets had been menacing Europe for decades.
From Time Magazine Archive
The islands were harboring pirates who had been menacing Dutch ships.
From Time Magazine Archive
Fyne with his masculine imagination was less inclined to rejoice extravagantly at the girl’s escape from the moral dangers which had been menacing her defenceless existence.
From Chance A Tale in Two Parts by Joseph Conrad
