threat
Promise of harm
A threat is a declaration of intent to harm or punish: Is that a threat?
It also means anything that poses danger or risk: the threat of nuclear war, a threat to public safety.
Someone or something described as a threat has the potential to cause harm: He's no threat to anyone.
In sports, a triple threat can hurt you multiple ways.
Serious threat of harm
- hazardSource of potential harm
- jeopardyRisk of harm
- riskPossibility of harm
- menaceSource of potential harm
harm · injury · violence · attack · assault · crisis · emergency · disaster
Pressured compliance through threats
- blackmailCoercion through damaging threats
- extortionObtaining through threats
- bullyingAggressive repeated intimidation
- harassmentAggressive, unwanted targeting
menacing · terrorizing · aggression · dominance · pressure · manipulation · ransom · shakedown
Active, bitter hostility
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- antagonismActive opposition or hostility
- enmityBitter, lasting ill will
- malevolenceActive ill will
ill will · spite · vindictiveness · menace · sinister · baleful · nefarious · malignant
Urgent warning signal
- alertWarning or watchfulness
- cautionCareful attention to risk
- advisoryNotice recommending action
- signalMessage-conveying cue
red flag · heads-up · forewarning · omen · portent · harbinger · premonition · foreboding
peril
Serious threat of harm
menace · harm · injury · violence · attack · assault · crisis · emergency · disaster · catastrophe
coercion
Pressured compliance through threats
- blackmailCoercion through damaging threats
- extortionObtaining through threats
- bullyingAggressive repeated intimidation
harassment · menacing · terrorizing · aggression · dominance · pressure · manipulation · ransom · shakedown · scare tactics
animosity
Active, bitter hostility
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- antagonismActive opposition or hostility
- enmityBitter, lasting ill will
malevolence · ill will · spite · vindictiveness · menace · sinister · baleful · nefarious · malignant · aggression
alarm
Urgent warning signal
signal · red flag · heads-up · forewarning · omen · portent · harbinger · premonition · foreboding · foreshadowing
looming
Appearing threateningly close
credible · existential · perceived · empty · idle · veiled · direct · implicit · explicit · escalating
- social interactiongreeting, hello, goodbye, hi, bye
- fearfear, dread, afraid, fright, frightened
- strategystrategy, grand strategy, tactics, tactic, tactical
- challengersunderdog, rival, contender, opponent, competitor
- competitorscompetitor, contestant, competitors, rivals, opponents
- dangerhazard, peril, risk, menace, jeopardy
threatreassurance
Words meant to calm
promise · encouragement · assurance · enticement · comfort
- death threatStated intent to murder
- empty threatWarning without substance
- bomb threatClaim of planted explosive
- nuclear threatRisk of warhead deployment
- criminal threatsIllegal statements promising harm
- triple threatPerformer with three skills
threatening, threaten, threats, threatened, threatens, unthreatening, threatener