MENACING Synonyms: 172 Similar and Opposite Words

menacing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of menacing

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dangerous

involving potential loss or injury fears that the unemployment rate may be reaching menacing proportions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

menacing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of menace

as in endangering

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 menacing

Adjective

The preacher sought refuge from a menacing bear by climbing a tree. — Alfred H. Moses, Baltimore Sun, 13 Oct. 2026 His friends and family received a barrage of menacing threats. — Todd Wallack, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026

Verb

The midterm elections are looming and the first hurricane of the Atlantic Season is menacing the Gulf Coast. — Will Weissert, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 Dennis Hopper won a Best Villain MTV Movie Award for menacing a bus in this film. — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for menacing

Recent Examples of Synonyms for menacing

Adjective

The film fairly vibrates with ominous tension even in scenes in which seemingly nothing happens.

— Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
The horror movie takes place in Vision’s mind-mansion, which Butcherbird has filled with red light, dark shadows, and ominous imagery.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of ominous

Adjective

In November 2021, crew members took shelter inside their spacecraft after a Russian anti-satellite weapons test created a dangerous cloud of debris.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
In 2015, Chicago’s public health department identified three cases of invasive meningococcal disease, a highly dangerous pathogen that can kill within hours.

— Julie Morita, Time, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of dangerous

Verb

Delron Pickens, of Independence, was charged with one count of vehicle hijacking and one count of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child in Jackson County Circuit Court on Sunday.

— Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026
Zin is a Myanmar scholar who was detained in June and accused of endangering China’s national security.

— Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of endangering

Verb

Singapore is now threatening to prosecute companies responsible for the wildfires.

— Jay Ganglani, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Despite early reports Thursday night of passengers on the flight physically threatening flight crew members, that’s not what materialized, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

— Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of threatening

Adjective

Feathers McGraw, the sinister penguin villain from the Wallace & Gromit films, also makes a Hitchcockian cameo.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
Other examples are more sinister—for instance, the far-right takeover of Croatian Wikipedia, or efforts by corporations to launder their images.

— Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of sinister

Adjective

If enough collisions occur, certain orbital regions could become extremely hazardous for future missions.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Today, the vast majority of this hazardous waste remains locked in temporary storage facilities across the globe.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of hazardous

Adjective

Christopher Nolan’s recent film reminded me of another time when the world was awash in ambiguity and leaders needed to navigate the perilous voyage across unfamiliar territory.

— Jeff DeGraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Two Utah residents who hiked Mount Shasta in Northern California were rescued after they became stranded during a perilous 36-hour journey through freezing conditions.

— Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of perilous

Adjective

Revenue bonds are generally viewed as riskier than other types of government bonds, in part because they’re backed by the promise of revenue from a specific project — in this case, payment by individual borrowers.

— Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
The pain has been felt most acutely in the riskier credits with high-yield spreads rising about 70 basis points since late September.

— Justin Zacks, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of risky

Browse Nearby Words

menaces

menacing

ménage

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Menacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menacing. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of menacing

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes