Term: threaten

threaten (verb):

• General: to tell someone that you will kill or hurt them, or cause them problems, if they do not do what you want.
• Situational: to be a danger to something or to be likely to cause harm or a bad result.

synonyms: endanger, imperil, intimidate, menace, browbeat. 

pronunciation: /ˈθret.n/ 

translation: draudēt, apdraudēt 

example: The sudden change in weather began to threaten the success of the outdoor harvest festival. 

other words from this root: threat (noun), threatening (adjective), threateningly (adverb).

Contextual Usage

• Safety and Crime: “The kidnappers threatened to harm the victim if the ransom was not paid immediately.”
• Environmental/Nature: “Pollution and rising sea levels threaten the survival of many coastal bird species.”
• Business and Economy: “High interest rates threaten to slow down the growth of small businesses this year.”
• Meteorology: “Dark, heavy clouds were threatening rain all afternoon, so we decided to stay indoors.”