threat and throat differ by a single letter, buried far enough into the word to be easy to miss. threat means “something that is a source of danger”. throat means “the passage to the stomach and lungs; in the front part of the neck below the chin and above the collarbone”. throat is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈθɹɛt/
1.n.something that is a source of danger
“earthquakes are a constant threat in Japan”
2.n.a warning that something unpleasant is imminent
“they were under threat of arrest”
3.n.declaration of an intention or a determination to inflict harm on another
“his threat to kill me was quite explicit”
/ˈθɹoʊt/
1.n.the passage to the stomach and lungs; in the front part of the neck below the chin and above the collarbone
2.n.an opening in the vamp of a shoe at the instep
3.n.a passage resembling a throat in shape or function
“the throat of the vase”
| threat | throat | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈθɹɛt/ | /ˈθɹoʊt/ |
| Said | thret | throht |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 6 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun |
| Senses | 4 | 4 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | menace | pharynx |
Full entry for threat · Full entry for throat · More comparisons