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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
Still, bonus points for casting Chukwudi Iwuji as the menacing High Evolutionary, one of the oddest and most unsettling Marvel villains in recent memory. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026 In the new film, Peter is battling loneliness and struggling to reconnect with MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batlaon), while at the same time losing control of his developing superpowers as a menacing new villain (Sink) threatens New York City. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Verb
He was charged with criminal use of a firearm and menacing a police officer. — Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026 Some argue that the only way to stop Iran from menacing the region and its people is to crush this regime. — Dennis Ross, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 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
  • Once there, Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf watch as the butterfly approaches the outstretched hand of a woman whose face is obscured, before the ominous presence crushes it in her hands.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Aug. 2026
  • These fears, while unfounded, were indicative of something much worse—and marked a new, ominous chapter in the whale’s evolving symbolic import.
    — Naomi Skwarna, hazlitt.net, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of ominous
Adjective
  • On Sunday, storms brought dangerous flash flooding to the area around the Aspen Acres burn scar.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • That makes the world a more dangerous place, where a mistake by just one actor could ignite a regional firestorm, with a US military weakened by Iran unable to ensure American security.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of dangerous
Verb
  • Oil leaking from a tanker grounded off the coast of Oman is not only endangering a nearby island but has now also reached beaches on the Gulf Arab country's mainland, to the north of the island, Oman’s environment authority said Wednesday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The Parks worker, Joshua Moe, 24, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment after the child lost parts of her fingers on her left hand when the firework went off Tuesday evening, police said.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of endangering
Verb
  • Some of the loudest opposing voices are creatives, who see the products being created by AI companies as something threatening to their own practice and to the world at-large.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Yemeni Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman warned at the United Nations Thursday that Yemen’s internal collapse is increasingly threatening interests far beyond its borders.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of threatening
Adjective
  • When his girlfriend, Nicki (Debbie Harry), disappears at an audition for the show, he is drawn even deeper into its sinister world.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Jordan Roth plays Bentley’s somewhat sinister, sometimes helpful right hand kitted out post-glam Bowie style.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of sinister
Adjective
  • The combination of volcanic activity and sudden weather changes can make conditions on the mountain particularly hazardous.
    — Anna Matranga, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The destruction of the ozone layer would allow hazardous ultraviolet radiation to rain down on the planet, adding to the series of climate cataclysms that would threaten civilization and most life on Earth.
    — Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of hazardous
Adjective
  • Severe weather cut power to nearly 1 million customers in the Midwest as perilous thunderstorms and extreme wind gusts pummeled the region Tuesday.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Severe weather cut power Tuesday in the Chicago area and northwestern Indiana as perilous storms pummeled the region, darkening the sky and carrying extreme wind gusts across state lines.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of perilous
Adjective
  • Chaudry sees studios bringing on creators not just as a way to hedge risky bets; these are people with dedicated audiences who will follow.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 10 Aug. 2026
  • That's why simply waiting for a creditor to give up and forgive your debts can be risky.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 10 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 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of menacing for Spanish Speakers

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