threatening

[thret-n-ing] / ˈθrɛt n ɪŋ /

ADJECTIVE

menacing, ominous

Synonyms

STRONGEST

aggressive alarming cautionary dangerous dire sinister ugly

STRONG

bullying close impending looming lowering near overhanging portending scowling terrorizing warning

WEAK

apocalyptic at hand baleful baneful comminatory fateful forthcoming grim ill-boding imminent impendent inauspicious intimidatory loury lowery minacious minatory portentous unlucky unpropitious unsafe upcoming

Antonyms

STRONGEST

good kind nice safe

STRONG

away distant far remote

WEAK

pleasant

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.

China’s export momentum slowed sharply in March, signaling the Middle East war is weighing on global demand and threatening a driver of growth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Bragging, threatening, and posturing are all frowned upon.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

Arvizu told The Times that an officer at the jail said he was being charged for threatening Price, which he denied.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

Instead of costly doubles threatening to derail his progress, there was a flurry of birdies late in a sensational second round which helped McIlroy accelerate away from the chasing pack.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

The thunder kept threatening like a big old empty cloud clearing its throat.

From "Worth" by A. LaFaye

Vocabulary lists containing threatening

myPerspectives 7.2

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

List 6

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Uh-Oh: Synonyms for "Dangerous"

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!