Word
threatening
Phoneticsthreat·en·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈθɹɛtənɪŋ/
UK/θɹˈɛtənɪŋ/
Definitions
01scary or dangerous behavior
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. behaving in a way that shows you want to hurt someone or cause trouble.
adj. expressing or implying an intention to inflict pain, injury, or punishment. Often describes a person's tone, gestures, or written communication.
“The man's threatening tone made everyone in the room feel very uncomfortable.”
“The witness reported receiving several threatening phone calls in the weeks leading up to the trial, which prompted the police to provide extra security.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02danger from nature or situations
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. showing signs that something bad, like a storm or a problem, is coming.
adj. indicating a likely risk of harm or an impending unpleasant event, such as severe weather or a financial crisis.
“Dark, threatening clouds gathered over the mountains before the storm began.”
“The sudden drop in the stock market was a threatening sign for the country's fragile economic recovery.”
Synonyms
03the act of making a threat
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. the '-ing' form of the verb 'threaten', used to describe the action of saying you will hurt someone.
v. the present participle of 'threaten', used in continuous tenses to describe the ongoing act of promising harm or indicating danger.
“He was arrested for threatening his neighbor during a loud argument about the fence.”
“The company is currently threatening to close the factory unless the workers agree to a significant pay cut.”
04the act itself
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. the act of making a threat against someone.
n. the gerund form used as a noun to denote the specific instance or behavior of making threats.
“The law forbids the threatening of witnesses in a court case.”
“The persistent threatening of staff members led to a complete overhaul of the office security protocols.”
Usage
Often used as an uncountable noun in legal or formal contexts.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“A fire that began Monday in Spain's northeastern Aragon region and has forced the evacuation of 850 people so far is threatening the two monasteries of San Juan de la Pena.” “And the problems didn’t end there: there were complaints about masses of litter being left, with one pub in Manchester threatening to bar anyone found to be responsible.” “Environmental NGO Greenpeace warns that spill has rapidly expanded to 1,300 square kilometres, threatening ecosystems.” “I would like to point out that we are not threatening Japan.” Etymology
From Middle English thretenyng, þreteninde, equivalent to threaten + -ing.
From Middle English thretenyng, thretnynge, þretnynge, equivalent to threaten + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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