THREATEN | Definition and Meaning

Definition of Threaten

Threaten

threat·en

Definition/Meaning

(verb)

to express one's intention or desire to be destructive or hostile towards someone, usually as a consequence for something they have done or not done, especially to state one's intention to hurt or kill someone;

e.g. He will threaten to fire them if they don't do what he tells them. She began to threaten them with a knife.

(verb)

to pose a danger or risk to someone/something and cause them/it to become vulnerable, or to seem likely to have an unwelcome or undesirable effect or outcome;

e.g. The rising temperatures threaten the icecaps. Their plans threaten to inconvenience her.

(verb)

to seem imminent or very likely to happen, especially something unpleasant;

e.g. More bouts of illness threaten if he cannot identify their cause.