death threats
Promises of violence
Death threats are statements expressing intent to kill someone, whether sincere or meant to intimidate.
They range from explicit declarations to veiled menace: She received death threats after the verdict, The witness backed down after anonymous death threats.
Online, death threats have become disturbingly routine, particularly toward public figures and women.
Making death threats is illegal in most jurisdictions.
Source of potential harm
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- harassmentAggressive, unwanted targeting
- stalkingStealthy, persistent pursuit
- bullyingAggressive repeated intimidation
extortion · blackmail · ultimatum · warning · anonymous · online · cyberbullying · trolling
Emotional response to threat
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- traumaLasting psychological wound
- distressSevere anxiety or suffering
paranoia · hypervigilance · sleeplessness · isolation · self-censorship · withdrawal · PTSD · counseling
Guarding against harm
- securityProtection from threat
- bodyguardPaid personal security agent
- policeCivil law enforcement
- restraining orderCourt-enforced avoidance mandate
FBI · investigation · prosecution · reporting · documentation · screenshot · evidence · law enforcement
News profession practitioner
- activistVigorous cause champion
- politicianElected government official
- whistleblowerInsider who reports misconduct
- celebrityWidely recognized public figure
public figure · minority · dissident · critic · witness · judge · prosecutor · blogger
menace
Source of potential harm
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- harassmentAggressive, unwanted targeting
- stalkingStealthy, persistent pursuit
bullying · extortion · blackmail · ultimatum · warning · anonymous · online · cyberbullying · trolling · doxxing
fear
Emotional response to threat
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- traumaLasting psychological wound
distress · paranoia · hypervigilance · sleeplessness · isolation · self-censorship · withdrawal · PTSD · counseling · coping
protection
Guarding against harm
restraining order · FBI · investigation · prosecution · reporting · documentation · screenshot · evidence · law enforcement · safe house
journalist
News profession practitioner
- activistVigorous cause champion
- politicianElected government official
- whistleblowerInsider who reports misconduct
celebrity · public figure · minority · dissident · critic · witness · judge · prosecutor · blogger · streamer
- political oppressionvoter suppression, election fraud, rigged elections, ballot stuffing, vote rigging
- speech crimesdefamation, libel, slander, hate speech, incitement
- crimesarson, burglary, robbery, kidnapping, vandalism
- intimidationmenacing, intimidate, bullying, menace, intimidating
- threatsdanger, menace, ransom note, peril, blackmail letter
- persecutionHolocaust, pogrom, genocide, pogroms, ethnic cleansing
death threatsblessings
Favors from the divine
well-wishes · compliments · love letters · declarations of love · praise
death threatslove letters
Romantic written messages
reassurances · declarations of love · warm greetings · terms of endearment
death, deaths, deadly, deathly, threat, threats, threaten, threatened, threatening