Synonyms

threatening

American

[thret-n-ing] / ˈθrɛt n ɪŋ /

adjective

tending or intended to menace.

threatening gestures.
causing alarm, as by being imminent; ominous; sinister.

threatening clouds.

Related Words

See imminent, ominous.

Other Word Forms

nonthreatening adjective
nonthreateningly adverb
threateningly adverb
unthreatening adjective
unthreateningly adverb

Etymology

Origin of threatening

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

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.

The emergence of Hearts and the support they're getting from Tony Bloom and Jamestown Analytics is threatening to change the game in a very significant way.

From BBC

The United Nations Charter prohibits members from threatening or using force against other states.

From BBC

Benchmark U.S. prices fell 20% last year and are around their lowest levels in nearly five years, threatening the profitability of the U.S. oil industry.

From The Wall Street Journal

When that limit is exceeded, the plasma often becomes unstable, disrupting confinement and threatening the operation of the device.

From Science Daily

To stay afloat while completing his third novel, Skipton also reviews books for a local paper and sends begging, and increasingly threatening, letters to a wealthy relative.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023