From looming danger to political tension to a scary situation on the street—Germans call it a Bedrohung. It’s a strong word that signals something serious, approaching, and unwelcome.

The noun Bedrohung means threat, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll see it in news headlines, security discussions, and personal conversations about danger or fear.

It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Bedrohung.

Pronunciation

Bedrohung is pronounced [beh-DROH-oong].

• The “droh” rhymes with “grow,”
• The “ung” sounds like “oong,” a bit nasal,
• The stress is on the second syllable: be-DROH-ung.

It sounds a little slow and heavy—fitting for a word that signals danger.

Example sentences:

• Die Bedrohung wurde ernst genommen.
  The threat was taken seriously.
• Cyberangriffe sind eine wachsende Bedrohung.
  Cyber attacks are a growing threat.

Nuance and usage tips

Bedrohung comes from the verb bedrohen – to threaten. It refers to:

1. Direct threats of harm
   • eine physische Bedrohung – a physical threat
   • unter Bedrohung – under threat
   • Bedrohung mit einer Waffe – threat with a weapon
2. Abstract or general threats
   • Terrorismus als globale Bedrohung – terrorism as a global threat
   • eine Bedrohung für die Demokratie – a threat to democracy
   • Klima-Bedrohung – climate threat
3. Emotional / psychological threat
   • gefühlte Bedrohung – perceived threat
   • ständige Bedrohung – constant sense of threat

Its antonym might be Sicherheit (safety, feminine) or Schutz (protection, masculine), depending on the context.

Grammatical case examples:

• Nominative: Die Bedrohung war nicht zu übersehen.
  The threat was impossible to ignore.
• Accusative: Er hat die Bedrohung gemeldet.
  He reported the threat.
• Dative: Mit der Bedrohung konnte sie nicht umgehen.
  She couldn’t cope with the threat.
• Genitive: Wegen der Bedrohung wurde das Gebäude evakuiert.
  Because of the threat, the building was evacuated.

Feminine case pattern: die, die, der, der

Word variations and language tidbits

Variation Station:

• bedrohen – to threaten (verb)
• bedrohlich – threatening / ominous
• Bedrohungslage – threat situation / threat level
• Todesbedrohung – death threat
• Bedrohungsszenario – threat scenario (often used in military or planning contexts)

Fun (and serious) usage note:
In German media and official language, Bedrohung is often paired with Lage to describe security conditions:

„Die Bedrohungslage ist weiterhin angespannt.“
“The threat level remains tense.”

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Bedrohung

🎥 Learn Bedrohung and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/

Alternate translations note:
For a minor or vague danger, you might see Gefahr (danger) instead. For legal or verbal threats, Drohung (without the “be”) is more direct, often used when quoting what someone actually said. But Bedrohung is the broader, more general term—used for danger, pressure, or menace, real or perceived.

Ready for more German words of the day? Do you know what Beeilung means? How about Belohnung? Find out!