menace

[men-is]

noun

1. something that threatens to cause evil, harm, injury, etc.; a threat.

   Air pollution is a menace to health.

2. a person whose actions, attitudes, or ideas are considered dangerous or harmful.

   When he gets behind the wheel of a car, he's a real menace.

3. an extremely annoying person.

verb (used with object)

menaced, menacing 

1. to utter or direct a threat against; threaten.

2. to serve as a probable threat to; imperil.

   overdevelopment that menaces our suburbs.

verb (used without object)

menaced, menacing 

1. to express or serve as a threat.

menace

/ ˈmɛnɪs /

verb

1. to threaten with violence, danger, etc

noun

1. literary,  a threat or the act of threatening

2. something menacing; a source of danger

3. informal,  a nuisance

Other Word Forms

• menacing adjective
• menacingly adverb
• menacer noun
• premenace noun
• unmenaced adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of menace¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English manace, manance, from Middle French manace, menace, from Late Latin minācia “threat,” equivalent to mināc- (stem of mināx ) “jutting out, threatening” + -ia; verb from noun; -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of menace¹

C13: ultimately related to Latin minax threatening, from mināri to threaten

Example Sentences

“That would be really cool. So they came up with one and he looks pretty menacing.”

From Los Angeles Times

Opening episodes of “The Office” presented Michael Scott as a screechy menace.

From Salon

It’s also clumsy, farcical and potentially self-destructive; I would argue that those qualities complement the menace, rather than undercutting or contradicting it.

From Salon

Look no further than the equally bombastic “My Mind Is a Mountain” and “Locked Club,” the menacing “Ecdysis,” the soaring Moreno-powered “I Think About You All the Time,” and the push-and-pull of the methodical “cxz.”

From Los Angeles Times

On 11 August, a two-judge bench had expressed concern over the rising "menace of dog bites leading to rabies" in Delhi and its suburbs.

From BBC

Related Words

• endanger 
• imperil 
• intimidate 
• jeopardize 
• terrorize 
• threaten