- present tense form of threaten (3rd person singular).
threatens
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The education crisis is symptomatic of this but also threatens to act as an accelerant.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Climate change threatens to shrink the amount of water they can reliably deliver over the next 20 years, state officials have warned.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Another federal law prohibits voter intimidation, with up to a yearlong prison sentence for anybody who intimidates, threatens, or coerces somebody else with the purpose of interfering with another person’s right to vote.
From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026
It explains why smart, humble and even paranoid leaders aren’t immune to being blindsided, and it feels especially relevant now as AI threatens to upend many business models, while quantum computing awaits us all.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
We stare at each other and I smile, even while my stomach threatens to toss my one bite of Januka’s sandwich onto the floor.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
