threaten
verb (used with object)
to utter a threat against; menace.
threatens
-
present tense formof threaten (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
Nevada bemoans that Interior’s proposal threatens its “community well-being, cultural identity, and the recreational experience.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
The overexploitation of parrotfish and other groupers threatens 63 percent of coral reef ecosystems.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
A powerful El Niño threatens to disrupt coffee harvests around the world, adding to farmers’ already steep production costs.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026
The terrific Ms. Rabe, rarely absent from New York stages for long, reveals a similarly steely spine beneath Brooke’s surface fragilities as a long-delayed conflagration between mother and daughter threatens to erupt.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
It’s not wondering what I breathe in, but who, that threatens to choke me.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
