# threshold

/ˈθɹɛˌʃoʊɫd/ (US) · /θɹˈɛʃəʊld/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/threshold
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. doorway

noun · CEFR B2

the floor at the bottom of a doorway that you step over to enter a room or building.

For teachers: the piece of wood or stone which lies under a door; a sill that must be crossed to enter a structure.

- He paused at the threshold of the house, hesitant to step inside.
- The traditional custom involved the groom carrying the bride over the threshold to ensure good luck in their new home.

### 2. the beginning

noun · CEFR B2

the point just before a new situation or a big change starts.

For teachers: the point of entering or beginning a new state, period, or experience.

- The young graduates felt they were on the threshold of a new life.
- The discovery of the new vaccine placed the medical community on the threshold of a revolutionary era in preventative care.

### 3. trigger level

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

the level or point at which something starts to happen or change.

For teachers: the magnitude or intensity that must be exceeded for a certain reaction, phenomenon, or condition to occur.

- Some people have a very low threshold for pain and feel it quickly.
- The sensor is programmed to ignore minor vibrations until they reach a specific threshold that indicates a potential structural failure.

### 4. runway start

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the very beginning of the part of a runway where a plane can land.

For teachers: the beginning of that portion of the runway usable for landing.

- The pilot lined up the aircraft with the runway threshold for a smooth landing.
- Heavy rain reduced visibility so much that the pilot could barely discern the threshold markings during the final approach.

## Examples

- The company is on the threshold of a new era.
- The pilot checked the runway threshold markings to ensure the aircraft touched down at the correct point.
- Economists argue that once a country crosses a certain income threshold, the demand for luxury goods increases at a significantly higher rate than the demand for basic necessities.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.