menace 1 of 2

noun

ˈme-nəs How to pronounce menace (audio)
Definition of menacenext
as in threat
something that may cause injury or harm a loaded gun is a menace that this household doesn't need

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

menace

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to endanger
to place in danger menaced the children by leaving them in the car unattended

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 menace
Noun
Sullivan gives her a gaze that can shift in an instant from doe-eyed warmth to dead-eyed menace — and physical fluidity with just a hint of mechanical stiffness and killer strength when threatened. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026 But on this night, three weeks after the birth of CHOP, the air is filled not with songs, chants and demands for justice, but with paranoia, menace, gunshots. — Sydney Brownstone, NPR, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
Fueled by gusting winds and warm temperatures, multiple large wildfires continued to menace Southern California on Wednesday, prompting thousands of residents to evacuate, authorities said. — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 20 May 2026 Donald menaced Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow all game, recording two sacks, four combined tackles, two tackles for loss, and three QB hits in one of the most dominant defensive performances in Super Bowl history. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for menace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for menace
  1. threat
  2. endanger
  3. threaten
  4. danger
  5. risk
Noun
  • All three Cabinet members were aware that Trump had secretly switched from the old Air Force One jet to the military aircraft given the threat, sources said.
    — Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Automated systems now make decisions and respond to threats at increasingly high speeds.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of threat
Verb
  • They have both been charged with four counts of abandoning or endangering a child.
    — S.E. Jenkins, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Kendra Duggar, 27, and Joseph Duggar, 31, were both charged on March 20 with four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of false imprisonment after an investigation, according to a release from local police.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of endanger
Verb
  • Those supporters have done their club proud, a point embodied by the gradual improvements made to a ground Exeter were once threatened with eviction from under previous owners.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • An investigation found that the man allegedly assaulted his 63-year-old father and threatened to kill people at the home following an argument.
    — DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of threaten
Noun
  • Swimming in the Seine was officially banned in 1923 amid pollution and the dangers of river traffic.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Fire danger continues in the Pacific Northwest Saturday as flame-fueling winds reached their strongest point in days on Friday, challenging fire crews battling to keep destructive blazes from spreading in Spokane, Washington, and across the region.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of danger
Verb
  • The Fed could raise interest rates in an effort to cool off prices, but the move risks an economic slowdown that may pinch hiring.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The internet offers myriad new ways to risk your nest egg, as do all those flashy new casinos.
    — Stephen J. K. Walters, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of risk

Browse Nearby Words

men's rooms
menace
menaced
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Menace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menace. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on menace

Nglish: Translation of menace for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of salvo

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All