menacing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of menacingnext
1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come warns that the emergence of new viruses is one of the most menacing developments we face

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury fears that the unemployment rate may be reaching menacing proportions

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

menacing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of menace
1
as in endangering
to place in danger menaced the children by leaving them in the car unattended

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in threatening
to remain poised to inflict harm, danger, or distress on stockpiles of nuclear weapons that continue to menace the inhabitants of this planet

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of menacing
Adjective
Gregory drew her as mean, menacing, and thoroughly indifferent to male-centric standards of beauty and decorum. — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 The 30-foot-high blow-up figure, which features Statham looking menacing and wielding a weapon, has been traveling. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
Dennis Hopper won a Best Villain MTV Movie Award for menacing a bus in this film. — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026 He was charged with criminal use of a firearm and menacing a police officer. — Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for menacing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for menacing
  1. ominous
  2. dangerous
  3. endangering
  4. threatening
  5. sinister
  6. hazardous
  7. perilous
  8. risky
Adjective
  • His mode of reiteration and attenuation is an ominous portent for the future of fiction.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Once a rare occurrence, the ominous signal is becoming a more regular event thanks to the worsening climate crisis.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of ominous
Adjective
  • Heaping credit onto Espada is dangerous, but so is blaming him for every game that goes awry.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • That’s a dangerous prospect for any country, but especially for Singapore, crammed into a space smaller than New York City.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of dangerous
Verb
  • Both are facing endangering the welfare of children and drug charges.
    — Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The burning of fossil fuels is poisoning the air our kids breathe and endangering their present and future by overheating our planet.
    — Catarina Rolfsdotter-Jansson, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of endangering
Verb
  • The cyclone's center was at far out sea and was not threatening land.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Summary Several investor rights firms are threatening class actions against into Suja Life after its stock plummeted following disappointing Q2 earnings and reduced guidance, attributed to grocery channel weakness.
    — Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of threatening
Adjective
  • But now Disney has shared more of what’s coming to the sinister territory just beyond the spires of the park’s Wildest Ride in the Wilderness.
    — Megan duBois, Southern Living, 17 Aug. 2026
  • In the more familiar galaxy far, far away, their friends Hera Syndulla, Ezra Bridger, Zeb Orrelios and Chopper must face the powerful Grand Admiral Thrawn and his sinister allies, who seek to plunge the fledgling New Republic into war.
    — Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of sinister
Adjective
  • The park said more flash floods and hazardous conditions were possible over the next two days, amid potential thunderstorms and downpours.
    — Eve Chen, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for the entire Thumb region.
    — Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of hazardous
Adjective
  • State and local leaders can step up by highlighting more innovation than ever in this perilous time to support California’s vital role in global food production.
    — Jonathan Destler, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • And as evidenced by Spade and the D’Allara family's reunion, the emotional connections fostered on that perilous day have persisted through two decades.
    — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of perilous
Adjective
  • Dillman and his coconspirator used the funds to pay themselves and to make risky and speculative investments in other cryptocurrency ventures, authorities said, citing other evidence presented at the trial.
    — Jason Green, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In turn, Axira proposes a risky deal — steal something from the Tournament of Hearts, a dating competition where highborn citizenship is on the line.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of risky

Browse Nearby Words

menaces
menacing
ménage
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Cite this Entry

“Menacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menacing. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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