threaten

verb
UK: /ˈθret.ən/
US: /ˈθret.ən/

  1. To express intention to harm someone.

    1. He will threaten me if I don't pay him the money back. [ ] [ ]
    2. The bully tried to threaten the smaller children into giving him their lunch money. [ ] [ ]

  2. To be likely to cause harm or damage to something or someone.

    1. The dark clouds threaten rain. [ ] [ ]
    2. Pollution can threaten the delicate balance of the marine ecosystem if unchecked. [ ] [ ]

  3. To indicate a potential source of danger or harm.

    1. His angry words threaten our relationship. [ ] [ ]
    2. Rising sea levels threaten coastal communities around the world, and governments need to act. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

jeopardize endanger hazard intimidate menace
threaten noun

  1. A statement of an intention to inflict pain, injury, damage, or other hostile action on someone in retribution for or conditionally on something done or not done.

    1. I saw the threat against him. [ ] [ ]
    2. Despite the constant threat of violence, they continued to advocate for peace. [ ] [ ]

  2. A person or thing likely to cause damage or danger.

    1. The storm is a major threat. [ ] [ ]
    2. Cybersecurity experts are working to neutralize the threat posed by sophisticated malware. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "threaten" in English means: To express intention to harm someone., To be likely to cause harm or damage to something or someone., To indicate a potential source of danger or harm..

The phonetic transcription of "threaten" is /ˈθret.ən/ in British English and /ˈθret.ən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "threaten": jeopardize, endanger, hazard, intimidate, menace.

Example usage of "threaten": "He will threaten me if I don't pay him the money back.". More examples on the page.