menaced

Menaced is the past tense and past participle of the verb menace, meaning to threaten or pose a danger. It can also function as an adjective describing something that is threatened or in danger.

Etymology: The word derives from Old French menacer “to threaten,” from Late Latin minacciare “to threaten,” from minax “threatening.” The sense of looming danger is central to its usage in English.

Usage: In narrative and reporting, menaced conveys that a person, place, or thing is in danger or under threat. Examples include: “The city was menaced by floodwaters,” or “The community was menaced by a wave of crime.” In law and policy contexts, to menace means to threaten or intimidate, and menaced may appear in passive constructions such as “the witnesses were menaced.”

Grammar: As a verb, it takes a direct object: “He menaced the crowd.” The past tense and past participle are “menaced.” As an adjective, it modifies a noun, often with a phrase indicating the source of danger: “a population menaced by drought” or “a city menaced by flood.”

Related terms: See also menace, threatening, intimidation. In ecological and conservation contexts, related phrases include endangered and at risk to describe species or habitats.

Pronunciation: Menaced is typically pronounced with the stress on the first syllable: MEN-əst. Its usage remains common in formal and descriptive writing when noting threats or dangers, whether immediate or potential.