menace

1 of 2

noun

men·​ace ˈme-nəs 

1

a

: a show of intention to inflict harm : threat

… exploding in menaces and threats of vengeance …

—George Meredith

b

: a dangerous or threatening quality

menace in his voice

an atmosphere of menace in the world

2

a

: one that represents a threat : danger

… an intoxicated motorist is a menace to life and property …

—Wayne Hughes

b

: an annoying person

… her friends were beginning to find her a menace.

—Guy McCrone

menace

2 of 2

verb

menaced; menacing

transitive verb

1

: to make a show of intention to harm

… menaced him with immediate expulsion.

—George Bernard Shaw

2

: to represent or pose a threat to : endanger

… menaced by a group of toughs after his car goes kaput …

—Leah Rozen

intransitive verb

: to act in a threatening manner

The bear menaced with its mouth wide open.

Synonyms of menace

Noun

• threat
• danger

Verb

• endanger
• threaten
• risk

Examples of menace in a Sentence

Noun

There was an atmosphere of menace in the city.

She could hear the menace in his voice.

Verb

menaced the children by leaving them in the car unattended

stockpiles of nuclear weapons that continue to menace the inhabitants of this planet

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Mira was an amiable baby, a daredevil toddler, and, once Dylan arrived, a menace. —Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026

With 7-foot-1 defensive menace Rudy Gobert at center and the burly Julius Randle at power forward, the Timberwolves love to overwhelm teams with size. —Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 3 May 2026

Verb

First, the men are menaced by an enormous, enraged sperm whale (terrifying, even as on some level the reader can’t help rooting for it against the harpoons), which rams and ultimately sinks their boat. —Eva Holland, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2026

Santiago was charged with menacing a police officer and criminal possession of a weapon. —Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English manace "act of threatening, threat, exposure to a threat," borrowed from Anglo-French manace, manance (also continental Old French manace, menace), going back to Latin mināciae (plural only) "threats" (Late Latin in singular), noun derivative of mināc-, mināx "menacing, threatening, boding ill," from minārī "to threaten, speak or act menacingly" + -āc-, -āx, deverbal suffix denoting habitual or successful performance (probably going back to Indo-European *-eh₂, noun ending + *-k-, suffixal formative) — more at minatory

Note: The English spelling menace, in use since the 16th century, most likely copies Modern French.

Verb

Middle English manacen, manessen, manauncen, borrowed from Anglo-French manacer, manacier, going back to Vulgar Latin *mināciāre, noun derivative of Late Latin minācia "threat" — more at menace entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for menace

• tennis

Kids Definition

menace

1 of 2 noun

men·​ace ˈmen-əs 

1

: someone or something that represents a threat : danger

2

: an annoying person : nuisance

menace

2 of 2 verb

menaced; menacing

1

: to make a show of intention to harm : threaten

2

: endanger

menacingly

ˈmen-ə-siŋ-lē 

adverb

Legal Definition

menace

1 of 2 noun

men·​ace ˈme-nəs 

1

: a show of an intention to inflict especially physical harm

accomplished against a person's will by means of force,…menace, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury

—California Penal Code

2

: one who represents a threat

menace

2 of 2 verb

menaced; menacing

transitive verb

1

: to make a show of intention to harm

2

: to represent or pose a threat to

intransitive verb

: to act in a threatening manner

menacingly adverb