threatened

1 of 2

adjective

threat·​ened ˈthre-tᵊnd How to pronounce threatened (audio)
Synonyms of threatenednext
: having an uncertain chance of continued survival
a threatened species
specifically : likely to become an endangered species

threatened

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of threaten

Examples of threatened in a Sentence

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Adjective
But Datko added the coach backed away from the threatened benching. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 So officials wanted first responders to drive into threatened areas on dangerous flood days to ensure that people evacuated. — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026 Critics argued that the cost was better spent on other threatened species. — David Ginsburg, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026 According to Bastille-Rousseau, the number of bobcats in Illinois started to decline in the 1970s and they were listed as a threatened population. — Elena Tittel, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for threatened

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of threatened was in 1960

Browse Nearby Words

threaten
threatened
threatener
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Threatened.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threatened. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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