threaten
THREHT-n
Threaten (verb) means to say that you intend to harm or punish someone. Example: “The neighbour threatened to call the council if we kept making noise.”
verb
1
To say that you intend to harm or punish someone.
"The neighbour threatened to call the council if we kept making noise."
"The manager threatened to sack anyone caught stealing from the shop."
"The strikers threatened to walk out if their demands weren't met."
2
To be a source of danger to something.
"Heavy flooding threatens the crops in the valley every spring."
"Wildfires continue to threaten homes in the region."
"Deforestation threatens many species with extinction."
How to use threaten
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo warn of harm, or to put something at risk of harm.
Common pairings
threaten to
threaten someone's safety
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- threatens
- Past tense
- threatened
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The neighbour _____ to call the council if we kept making noise.
Etymology
From Old English þrēatnian, built from threat plus the verb-forming suffix -en.
Related words
Rhymes for threaten
See all rhymes for threaten →Frequently asked questions
What does “threaten” mean?
The word “threaten” means to say that you intend to harm or punish someone. In plain terms, to warn of harm, or to put something at risk of harm.
How do you pronounce “threaten”?
“Threaten” is pronounced THREHT-n (/ˈθɹɛt.n̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “threaten” in a sentence?
Here is “threaten” used in a sentence: “The strikers threatened to walk out if their demands weren't met.”
What part of speech is “threaten”?
“Threaten” is a verb.
Where does the word “threaten” come from?
The word “threaten” comes from Old English. From Old English þrēatnian, built from threat plus the verb-forming suffix -en.
Is “threaten” a common word?
“Threaten” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “threaten” have?
“Threaten” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to say that you intend to harm or punish someone.
What is the difference between threaten and warn?
To warn someone is to alert them to a danger for their own benefit, such as warning a friend about icy roads. To threaten someone is to state that you intend to harm or punish them, which is hostile rather than helpful.
What is the difference between threaten and intimidate?
Threatening someone means openly declaring an intention to harm or punish them. Intimidating someone means frightening them into doing what you want, which can be done through manner, presence, or reputation without any spoken threat.
What grammatical patterns are used with threaten?
You can threaten 'to do' something, as in 'he threatened to leave,' or threaten someone 'with' something, as in 'they threatened him with dismissal.' You can also say something threatens 'that' a result will follow.
What is the difference between threaten and endanger?
Endanger means to put someone or something at actual risk of harm. Threaten can mean the same when describing danger, as in 'rising seas threaten the coast,' but it also has the separate meaning of expressing an intention to hurt or punish someone.
