threaten
verb (used with object)
to utter a threat against; menace.
have threatened
-
present perfectof threaten.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
By forcing ships to turn back from the narrow Bab El Mandeb strait, they have threatened to choke off the main maritime route from Europe to Asia.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Viruses have threatened living organisms throughout evolutionary history.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 30, 2026
Ruth said her brothers are objecting and have threatened to sue Ruth over their potential inheritance and custody of the remains.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Houthi militants in Yemen have threatened shipping through the Red Sea, ANZ Research analysts say in a research report.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 29, 2026
Strict separation of the races would have threatened slaveholders’ immediate interests and was, in any event, wholly unnecessary as a means of creating social distance or establishing the inferior status of slaves.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
