threatening — English Dictionary

Adjective

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

   Examples

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

   Fie, fie, vnknit that thretaning vnkinde brovv, / And dart not ſcornefull glances from thoſe eies, / To vvound thy Lord, thy King, thy Gouernour.

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

Noun

1. An act of threatening; a threat.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

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

   More examples (1)

   In Mr. J. C. Hotten’s Life, and in Mr. A. W. Ward’s admirable monograph in the “English Men of Letters” Series, a paper of mine called “Pincher Astray” is attributed to Dickens.

Adjective

1. threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments

   Synonyms

   balefulforbiddingmenacingminaciousminatoryominoussinister

   Examples

   a baleful look

   forbidding thunderclouds

   More examples (5)

   his tone became menacing

   ominous rumblings of discontent

   sinister storm clouds

   a sinister smile

   his threatening behavior

2. darkened by clouds

   Synonyms

   heavyloweringsullen

   Examples

   a heavy sky