threatening

[ thret-n-ing ]
/ ˈθrɛt n ɪŋ /

adjective

tending or intended to menace: threatening gestures.
causing alarm, as by being imminent; ominous; sinister: threatening clouds.

Origin of threatening

First recorded in 1520–30; threaten + -ing2

OTHER WORDS FROM threatening

Definition for threatening (2 of 2)

threaten
[ thret-n ]
/ ˈθrɛt n /

verb (used with object)

to utter a threat against; menace: He threatened the boy with a beating.
to be a menace or source of danger to: Sickness threatened her peace of mind.
to offer (a punishment, injury, etc.) by way of a threat: They threatened swift retaliation.
to give an ominous indication of: The clouds threaten rain.

verb (used without object)

to utter or use threats.
to indicate impending evil or mischief.

Origin of threaten

before 1000; Middle English thretnen, Old English thrēatnian, derivative of thrēat pressure, oppression. See threat, -en1

OTHER WORDS FROM threaten

threat·en·er, noun out·threat·en, verb (used with object) pre·threat·en, verb (used with object) re·threat·en, verb

Example sentences from the Web for threatening

British Dictionary definitions for threatening

threaten
/ (ˈθrɛtən) /

verb

(tr) to be a threat to
to be a menacing indication of (something); portend dark clouds threatened rain
(when tr, may take a clause as object) to express a threat to (a person or people)

Derived forms of threaten

threatener, noun threatening, adjective threateningly, adverb