Dictionary

threaten en · VERB

Pronunciation

• [ˈθɹɛt.n̩] (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈθɹɛʔ.n̩] (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• (US) audio
• /ˈθɹɛt.n̩/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• thrĕt′n̩

Etymology

From Middle English thretenen, from Old English þrēatnian (“to urge, force, compel”), equivalent to threat + -en.

Meanings

1. To make a threat against someone; to use threats.
   • He threatened me with a knife.
   • No one, however, would have anything to do with him, as Mr. Keeson's orders in those respects were very strict ; he had often threatened any one of his employés with instant dismissal if he found him in company with one of these touts. 1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Hocussing of Cigarette”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:
   • "Taiwanese are very enthusiastic and love freedom and democracy, so many good international friends have come to Taiwan to support us. This is a normal and good thing, but China threatens and intimidates Taiwan," she said. "However, I would like to reassure everyone that both our government and the military are prepared, and I will definitely take care of Taiwan." 2022 August 13, Sarah Wu, David Kirton, Ben Blanchard, quoting Tsai Ing-wen, “Taiwan thanks U.S. for maintaining security in Taiwan Strait”, in Tom Hogue, Michael Perry, William Mallard, editors, Reuters, archived from the original on 13 Aug 2022, World:
2. To menace, or be dangerous.
   • The rocks threatened the ship's survival.
3. To portend, or give a warning of.
   • The black clouds threatened heavy rain.
4. To call into question the validity of (a belief, idea, or viewpoint); to challenge.
   • The new information threatened our original hypothesis.
5. (figuratively) To be close to equaling or surpassing (a record, etc.); to challenge.
   • The player quickly surmised that things weren't kosher and the suddenly wiser ballplayer threatened the world record for the fifty-yard dash as he sought safety. As Reynolds dived into the van, Dietz and the other players rolled with laughter. 2000, Lew Freedman, Diamonds in the Rough: Baseball Stories from Alaska, page 69

Forms

Antonyms

promise

Deriveds

threatenable · forethreaten · threatener · outthreaten · rethreaten · threatensome · threatening

Translations (157)

nb true (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · es amagar (to menace, or be dangerous) · pl pogrozić (to portend, or give a warning of) · fr menacer (to menace, or be dangerous) · ceb talhog (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · nn truge (to portend, or give a warning of) · az hədə-qorxu gəlmək (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · nmn ʻǁna̰ha (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ms ancam (to menace, or be dangerous) · vec manasar (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · be пагража́ць (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · nrf m'nichi (to menace, or be dangerous) · cmn 威脅 /威胁 (to menace, or be dangerous) · pt ameaçar (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ru предвеща́ть (to portend, or give a warning of) · fi uhata (to menace, or be dangerous) · az təhdid etmək (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · oc menaçar (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · bho धमकियावल (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · az hədələmək (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ja 脅す (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · got 𐍈𐍉𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · mi takutaku (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · nn truge (to menace, or be dangerous) · cmn 恐嚇 /恐吓 (to menace, or be dangerous) · nl bedreigen (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · sl groziti (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · cmn 有...危險 /有...危险 (to menace, or be dangerous) · es amagar (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · zdj urisiza (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · fur menaçâ (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · es amagar (to portend, or give a warning of) · ca amenaçar (to portend, or give a warning of) · ar هَدَّدَ (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · sl groziti (to portend, or give a warning of) · hi धमकाना (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · vo tädön (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · pl grozić (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · pt ameaçar (to portend, or give a warning of) · mi whakaweti (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · mn айлгах (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · et ähvardama (to portend, or give a warning of) · pl pogrozić (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · tr tehdit etmek (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · uk загро́жувати (to menace, or be dangerous) · da true (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · nl bedreigen (to menace, or be dangerous) · my ခြိမ်း (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ko 협박하다 (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · it minacciare (to menace, or be dangerous) · ceb hulga (to menace, or be dangerous) · zdj ushangaza (to menace, or be dangerous) · ro amenința (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · cmn 威脅 /威胁 (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · eo minaci (to menace, or be dangerous) · bg заплашвам (to menace, or be dangerous) · ang þrēaġan (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · gd maoidh (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · sh претити (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ga bagair (to menace, or be dangerous) · fi vaarantaa (to menace, or be dangerous) · pl grozić (to portend, or give a warning of) · ca amenaçar (to menace, or be dangerous) · el απειλώ (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · de bedrohen (to menace, or be dangerous) · zza tersaynayen (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · sl groziti (to menace, or be dangerous) · th ขู่ (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · pt ameaçar (to menace, or be dangerous) · ru грози́ть (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · hu fenyeget (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · de bedrohen (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ga bagair (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · la insto (to menace, or be dangerous) · cmn 恐嚇 /恐吓 (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · it promettere (to portend, or give a warning of) · nn true (to menace, or be dangerous) · eo minaci (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · km កំញើញ (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ga bagair (to portend, or give a warning of) · tg таҳдид кардан (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · cs ohrožovat (to menace, or be dangerous) · it impaurire (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · nn truge (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · cs ohrozit (to menace, or be dangerous) · mi wananga (to menace, or be dangerous) · de androhen (to portend, or give a warning of) · hy սպառնալ (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · tl balaan (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · mi whakahakahaka (to menace, or be dangerous) · th คุกคาม (to menace, or be dangerous) · lo ຂູ່ (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · vec minasar (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · sh pretiti (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ceb hulga (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · fi uhkailla (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · es conminar (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · fi enteillä (to portend, or give a warning of) · my ခြိမ်းခြောက် (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · it intimidire (to menace, or be dangerous) · sq kërcënoj (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · sv hota (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · la minitor (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · et ähvardama (to menace, or be dangerous) · ja 威嚇する (to menace, or be dangerous) · mi wananga (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ar أَنْذَرَ (to portend, or give a warning of) · mi hākiwakiwa (to portend, or give a warning of) · ko 위협하다 (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · bg запла́швам (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · fa تهدید کردن (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · et ähvardama (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ms ugut (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ja 脅迫する (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · nb true (to portend, or give a warning of) · uk погро́жувати (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ia menaciar (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · he איים (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · cs hrozit (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ja 脅かす (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · fi uhata (to portend, or give a warning of) · mi whakahakahaka (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · pl zagrażać (to menace, or be dangerous) · pl zagrozić (to menace, or be dangerous) · nrf m'nichi (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · de drohen (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ru угрожа́ть (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · vi doạ (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · mk заканува (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · izh heristää (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · sk hroziť (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · it avvisare (to portend, or give a warning of) · oc menaçar (to menace, or be dangerous) · ca amenaçar (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · mi takareko (to portend, or give a warning of) · nl dreigen (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ru грози́ть (to menace, or be dangerous) · cs vyhrožovat (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ja 威嚇する (to portend, or give a warning of) · nb true (to menace, or be dangerous) · mi kapatau (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · fr menacer (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · eu mehatxatu (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · tr gözünü korkutmak (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · nn true (to portend, or give a warning of) · bg заканвам се (to portend, or give a warning of) · ja 脅かす (to menace, or be dangerous) · mn сүрдүүлэх (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ceb huga (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · grc ἀπειλέω (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · mi kapatau (to portend, or give a warning of) · la minor (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · it minacciare (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · ru угрожа́ть (to menace, or be dangerous) · nn true (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · tl pagbantaan (to make a threat against someone; to use threats) · pl grozić (to menace, or be dangerous)