menace
[noun]
Synonyms:
- threat, intimidation, warning
- nuisance, annoyance, pest, plague, troublemaker
[verb]
Synonyms:
- threaten, bully, frighten, intimidate, loom, lour or lower, terrorize

---

Related Words: alarm, frighten, scare, endanger, torment, loom, lower

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. men‧ace¹ /ˈmenəs, ˈmenɪs/ noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: Latin minacia, from minari 'to threaten']

1. [countable] something or someone that is dangerous Synonym : threat
menace of
It’s the only way to deal with the menace of drug dealing.
menace to
That man’s a menace to society. He should be locked away.
the growing menace of oil pollution at sea

2. [uncountable] a threatening quality, feeling, or way of behaving:
There was menace in his voice.
air/sense of menace
There was a sense of menace as the sky grew darker.

3. [countable] a person, especially a child, who is annoying or causes trouble Synonym : nuisance:
My little brother’s a real menace.

4. with menaces British English law if someone asks another person for something with menaces, they use threats of violence to get what they want:
He was charged with demanding money with menaces.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. menace² verb [transitive]
formal to threaten:
The elephants are still menaced by poachers.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

menace
noun
I. danger
ADJ. growing, increased, increasing the growing menace of drugs
serious
VERB + MENACE pose the menace posed by car fumes
combat, counter Shop owners are struggling to combat the menace of armed robbery.
PREP. ~ to He's a menace to society.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

menace
II. threatening quality
ADJ. hidden, quiet, silent ‘Where do you think you're going?’ he said with quiet menace.
PREP. with ~ eyes glittering with menace
PHRASES an air of menace The scar down his face added to his air of menace.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

menace
verb
BAD: Nowadays world peace is menaced.
GOOD: Nowadays world peace is threatened.

Usage Note:
Menace is usually used as a noun or adjective: 'These street gangs are a social menace.' 'He was convicted of menacing behaviour.' Menace is not often used as a verb. It appears mainly in formal styles and means 'make or try to make someone feel their life or safety is in great danger': 'His mighty war machine continues to menace neighbouring countries.'
When you are talking about something which is a danger to peace, survival, safety, health, happiness, etc, use threaten : 'These poisonous liquids threaten the drinking water supply of two million people.' 'AIDS could threaten the economic well-being of Asian countries.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲