threaten

Verb

Meaning

To utter threats against; to menace; to inspire with apprehension; to alarm, or attempt to alarm, as with the promise of something evil or disagreeable; to warn.

To exhibit the appearance of (something evil or unpleasant) as approaching; to indicate as impending; to announce the conditional infliction of; as, to threaten war; to threaten death.

To use threats, or menaces; also, to have a threatening appearance.

Source: Webster's dictionary

Synonyms

menace endanger jeopardize imperil risk hazard loom scare intimidate peril frighten coerce bully terrify foreshadow
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Antonyms

guardian guard harbour support help tend
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Hypernyms

exist augur bode predict warn forecast

Hyponyms

offer

Derivatives

threatened threatening

Examples

Two dangers constantly threaten the world: order and disorder. Paul Valéry

In no other country in the world is the love of property keener or more alert than in the United States, and nowhere else does the majority display less inclination toward doctrines which in any way threaten the way property is owned. Alexis de Tocqueville

Accordingly, globalization is not only something that will concern and threaten us in the future, but something that is taking place in the present and to which we must first open our eyes. Ulrich Beck

He can do but little who cannot threaten another. Spanish Proverb

It is easy to threaten a bull from a window. Italian Proverb

How ever big a rat is, it can't threaten a cat. African Proverb

Close letter words and terms

threat to life threat to public order THREATCON threatenable threatened threatened abortion