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

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.

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"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.

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According to Essex University's Prof Lorna Woods, the lowest level of views that can be prosecuted in British criminal law are those deemed "grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character".

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I don’t know whether that’s more menacing or more ridiculous: We will tell the TV stations what to say, and they will decide what you think.

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“We wrote that role for him without telling him, excited about an actor with his presence and power who could play something menacing but also show the humanity and emotion he displayed in ‘CODA.’

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Related Words

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