THREATENING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does threatening mean? 

• THREATENING (adjective)
  The adjective THREATENING has 2 senses:

1. threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments

2. darkened by clouds

  Familiarity information: THREATENING used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• THREATENING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments

Synonyms:

baleful; forbidding; menacing; minacious; minatory; ominous; sinister; threatening

Context example:

the situation became ugly

Similar:

alarming (frightening because of an awareness of danger)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Darkened by clouds

Synonyms:

heavy; lowering; sullen; threatening

Context example:

a heavy sky

Similar:

cloudy (full of or covered with clouds)

 Context examples 

Critical care helps people with life-threatening injuries and illnesses.

(Critical Care, NIH)

More than half of prostate cancers stay within the gland and don’t become life-threatening.

(Biomarker Signatures of Prostate Cancer, NIH)

The condition of weighing two, three, or more times the ideal weight, so called because it is associated with many serious and life-threatening disorders.

(Morbid Obesity, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Relief of symptoms and suffering caused by cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

(Palliation, NCI Dictionary)

Treatment given to relieve the symptoms and reduce the suffering caused by cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

(Palliative therapy, NCI Dictionary)

However, the infection may be life-threatening in affected immunocompromised patients.

(Cytomegaloviral Infection, NCI Thesaurus)

The effects of hunting can extend far beyond the hunted, threatening the overall health of the trees that make up the forest.

(Overhunting of large animals has catastrophic effects on trees, NSF)

When they affect your breathing or heart function, these disorders can be life-threatening.

(Autonomic Nervous System Disorders, NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Most patients experience a mild to moderate reaction; however, the reaction may be severe and life-threatening.

(Cytokine Release Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

EXAMPLE(S): resulted in death, required hospitalization, was life threatening

(Adverse Event Seriousness Code, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)