menace
dangerous or harmful person or thing
A person or thing that can cause serious harm or danger, especially to many people or to society.
a menace to [someone/something]
- Many experts say climate change is the greatest menace to our planet.
- The gang quickly became a menace to the neighborhood.
- Drunk drivers are a serious menace to other road users.
- Some people see social media as a menace to democracy.
- The spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a growing menace to public health.
- The new virus is a real menace to older people.
- Smoking is a menace to your health.
- The factory became a menace to the river and the fish.
- Litter in the streets is a menace to local wildlife.
threatening or frightening quality
A strong feeling that something bad or dangerous may happen, often because of someone’s voice, behavior, or the situation.
a sense of menace in [something]
- There was a clear note of menace in his voice when he spoke.
- The empty streets and broken windows gave the town an air of menace.
- The director slowly builds a sense of menace throughout the film.
- Dark clouds gathered over the city, adding a quiet menace to the evening.
- Her smile was warm, but her eyes held a hint of menace.
- I heard a little menace in his voice and felt afraid.
- The room was silent, and there was a sense of menace in the air.
- The movie uses music to create an air of menace.
- The dog walked toward us with calm menace.
annoying or troublesome person (informal)
A person, often a child, who makes trouble and annoys people, but is not really dangerous.
[someone] is a (little) menace
- Her twins are adorable, but they can be total menaces when they get tired.
- You little menace, stop throwing your toys at the dog!
- He was such a menace at school that the teachers all knew his name.
- Our cat is a menace to the furniture but we love her anyway.
- As a teenager he was a bit of a menace around the village.
- My son is a little menace when he is tired.
- The boys were menaces in class today.
- Stop being a menace and sit down, please.
- Our puppy is a menace in the kitchen.
to threaten or endanger
To threaten someone or something, or to put them in great danger.
to menace [someone/something] (with [something])
- Rising sea levels menace low-lying coastal communities around the world.
- Armed gangs continue to menace residents in the border region.
- Toxic fumes from the factory menace the health of nearby workers.
- The dictator used his secret police to menace political opponents.
- A large dog menaced the hikers, growling as they passed by.
- Polluted water menaces the fish in the lake.
- Armed groups menace people in the city at night.
- The disease still menaces many poor countries.
- A man menaced her with a knife in the street.
- Base: menace
- Plural: menace, menaces
- Base: menace
- 3rd Person Singular: menaces
- Present Participle: menacing
- Past: menaced
a menace to society
1person seen as very harmful to society
A person who is very harmful or dangerous to other people in the community.
- The judge called the violent criminal a menace to society.
- Some people said the corrupt politician was a menace to society and should resign.
- Online scams are becoming a real menace to society.
air of menace
1threatening or dangerous atmosphere
An atmosphere or mood that feels dangerous or threatening.
- The empty streets had an air of menace after dark.
- The painting has an air of menace that makes viewers uneasy.
- His calm voice carried an air of menace.
public menace
1harmful person or thing to the public
A person or thing that is very harmful or dangerous to many people.
- Officials have described the gang as a public menace.
- Uncontrolled fires have become a public menace in the dry season.
- The mayor called illegal dumping a public menace that must be stopped.
sense of menace
1general feeling of coming danger
A strong feeling that something bad or dangerous may happen soon.
- The film creates a growing sense of menace from the very first scene.
- There was a sense of menace in the crowd as the protest turned violent.
- Dark music added a sense of menace to the play.
with menaces
1using threats to force someone
Using threats of harm to make someone do something, often used in legal or news language.
- He was charged with demanding money with menaces.
- The new law targets anyone who obtains property with menaces.
- Police said the suspect tried to get the documents with menaces.