threatening

CEFRB1

/ˈθɹɛtə.nɪŋ/

adjective · verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Showing an intention to cause harm.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Making threats, making statements about a willingness to cause harm.

Examples

  • The sky had become threatening before I got to the station.

  • The terrorists are threatening to blow up the plane.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
3
Citations
3
Synonyms
4

Also pronounced

  • /ˈθɹɛʔ.n̩.ɪŋ/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meaning

  1. Presenting a threat, posing a likely risk of harm.

verb

Extra meaning

  1. present participle and gerund of threaten

noun

Extra meaning

  1. An act of threatening; a threat.

More examples

In context

  • Never turn your back to someone who is displaying threatening behavior.

  • The weather is threatening.

  • And nowe lorde beholde their threatenyngꝭ / and graunte vnto thy ſervauntꝭ wyth all confydence to ſpeake thy worde.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The storm's dark clouds appeared very blank, so we quickly sought shelter inside.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Middle English thretenyng, þreteninde, equivalent to threaten + -ing.