simple past tense and past participle of threaten
"The storm threatened to destroy the coastal village, but it passed without causing major damage."
In plain English: To be threatened means someone is saying they will hurt you if you don't do what they want.
"The dog threatened to bite when we tried to take its food bowl away."
(of flora or fauna) likely in the near future to become endangered
"the spotted owl is a threatened species, not yet an endangered one"
At risk of becoming endangered in the near future.
"The local population of sea turtles is threatened by rising ocean temperatures and plastic pollution."
In plain English: Threatened means being at risk of getting hurt, losing something important, or facing danger soon.
"The threatened storm forced everyone to stay indoors until evening arrived."
Usage: Use this adjective to describe species or populations that face a high probability of extinction soon, distinguishing them from those merely at risk but not yet critically so. It is commonly found in conservation reports and scientific classifications rather than casual conversation about personal safety.