verb · neutral
threaten
/ˈθrɛtən/THREAT·en
Band 6-7speakingtask2
to say you will harm someone or cause something bad to happen; to put something in danger
Examples
“The government threatened to impose heavy fines on polluters.”
“Illegal logging threatens many forest species.”
“The minister threatened to resign if the reforms were blocked.”
Band 8 sentence
“The rapidly expanding industrial zone threatens to contaminate groundwater used by nearby communities.”
Collocations
- threaten to + verb
- threaten someone with something
- pose a threat to
Word family
threaten verb (base)threatens verb (3rd sg)threatened verb (past/past participle)threatening adj / verb (gerund)threat noun (related)
Common mistakes
They threatened me leave my job.→They threatened to make me leave my job.
He threaten to quit if the rules change.→He threatens to quit if the rules change.
Say it for a higher band
5put at risk→6endanger→7+threaten
Synonyms
endanger
menace
Easily confused
endanger
“The new road could endanger several protected species.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In -en
Learn it with its set