Threaten (Verb)
Meaning 1
To be a menacing indication of something; "The clouds threaten rain"; "Danger threatens".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
Pose a threat to; present a danger to; "The pollution is endangering the crops".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- Overcrowding on the roads threaten the safety of all drivers and pedestrians.
- Climate change threaten the world's food supply by altering weather patterns and ecosystems.
- High levels of air pollution in the city threaten the health of its residents, particularly children.
- The rapid spread of the disease threaten the lives of millions of people if not controlled immediately.
- Unprotected wildlife areas threaten the survival of endangered species such as elephants and tigers.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
To utter intentions of injury or punishment against; "He threatened me when I tried to call the police".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The loan shark threatened to hurt his family if he didn't pay the debt on time.
- She threatened to quit her job if her demands weren't met by the management.
- He threatened me when I tried to call the police on him for harassment.
- The company threatened to sue anyone who stole their intellectual property.
- The angry customer threatened to post negative reviews online if the issue wasn't resolved.