threatnoun [ C ]
uk/θret/us/θret/B2 a suggestion that something unpleasant or violent will happen, especially if a particular action or order is not followed:
[ + to infinitive ] Her parents carried out their threat to take away her mobile phone if her grades didn't improve.
The threat of jail failed to deter him from petty crime.
Drunken drivers pose a serious threat (= cause a lot of harm) to other road users.
He says he'll tell the authorities but it's just an empty threat (= it will not happen).
be under threat of sth
to be in a situation where people are threatening you with something bad or unpleasant:
She left the country under threat of arrest if she returned.
More examples
- Nuclear weapons pose a threat to everyone.
- The police have to take any terrorist threat seriously.
- It is hoped that the kidnappers will not carry out their threat to kill the hostages.
- Three main line railway stations were closed because of bomb threats.
- The key witness for the prosecution was offered police protection after she received death threats.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Dangers and threats
- baneful
- black spot
- brinkmanship
- calculated risk
- chance
- darkly
- desperately
- dodgy
- gamble
- hazard
- hazardous
- hazmat
- high-risk
- hostage
- perilous
- poisoned chalice
- precarious
- pull
- pull a gun, knife, etc. on sb idiom
- treacherous
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Unsafe and insecure