verb
threaten
THREHT-n
verb
1
To say that you intend to harm or punish someone.
"The strikers threatened to walk out if their demands weren't met."
2
To be a source of danger to something.
"Wildfires continue to threaten homes in the region."
"Deforestation threatens many species with extinction."
How to Use Threaten
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo warn of harm, or to put something at risk of harm.
Common pairings
threaten to
threaten someone's safety
Word Forms
threatened past tense, threatens singular
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The strikers _____ to walk out if their demands weren't met.
Etymology
From Old English þrēatnian, built from threat plus the verb-forming suffix -en.