1a statement of an intention to inflict pain, injury, damage, or other hostile action on someone in retribution for something done or not done:members of her family have received death threats
Law a menace of bodily harm, such as may restrain a person’s freedom of action.
2a person or thing likely to cause damage or danger:hurricane damage poses a major threat to many coastal communities
[in singular] the possibility of trouble, danger, or ruin:the company faces the threat of liquidation proceedings [mass noun]:thousands of rail freight jobs came under threat