Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb threaten

3 senses of threaten

Sense 1
endanger, jeopardize, jeopardise, menace, threaten, imperil, peril -- (pose a threat to; present a danger to; "The pollution is endangering the crops")
       => exist, be -- (have an existence, be extant; "Is there a God?")

Sense 2
threaten -- (to utter intentions of injury or punishment against:"He threatened me when I tried to call the police")
       => warn -- (notify of danger, potential harm, or risk; "The director warned him that he might be fired"; "The doctor warned me about the dangers of smoking")

Sense 3
threaten -- (to be a menacing indication of something:"The clouds threaten rain"; "Danger threatens")
       => bode, portend, auspicate, prognosticate, omen, presage, betoken, foreshadow, augur, foretell, prefigure, forecast, predict -- (indicate by signs; "These signs bode bad news")