threatening

[ thret-n-ing ]

adjective

1. tending or intended to menace:

   threatening gestures.

2. causing alarm, as by being imminent; ominous; sinister:

   threatening clouds.

Other Words From

• threaten·ing·ly adverb
• non·threaten·ing adjective
• non·threaten·ing·ly adverb
• un·threaten·ing adjective
• un·threaten·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of threatening¹

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

Synonym Study

See imminent, ominous.

Example Sentences

The latter doesn’t sound bad at all, until you remember that Marc Andreessen is one of Trump’s tech-world advisers, and that one of his big things these days is threatening to prosecute government/university/business officials who apparently “coordinated” to “censor” Elon Musk’s X by pulling advertising.

From Slate

From August 2022 to January 2024, Filion made more than 375 “swatting” and threatening hoax calls, including calls in which he threatened to detonate bombs or conduct mass shootings at targeted locations, according to the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times

Filion has also pleaded guilty to making three other threatening calls, according to the Department of Justice.

From Los Angeles Times

Threatening emails were sent to the school and there were anonymous phone-calls too.

From BBC

"We are aware of concerns in the community following reports recently of assaults and threatening behaviour on footpaths along the Union Canal in the Edinburgh area," he said.

From BBC

Related Words

• aggressive
• alarming
• cautionary
• dangerous
• dire
• sinister
• ugly