Pose a threat to means be a danger to someone or something: damaged branches pose a threat to pedestrians. The source can be anything: a wall, a disease, a competitor. It often comes with an adjective: a serious, real, potential threat. No danger at all is pose no threat.
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pose a threat to someone/something; pose a serious/potential threat
- The damaged branches pose a threat to pedestrians below.
- Cheap imitations could pose a serious threat to the small workshop.
- The inspection found that the loose cable posed no immediate threat.
What changed
First versionThe unstable wall poses threat to passing cyclists.
RevisionThe unstable wall poses a threat to passing cyclists.
Threat can feel like an abstract idea, like danger, so the article gets lost. But in this phrase threat is countable, and one threat needs a: poses a threat. The a was added.
Make a threat means threaten someone in words: he made threats against his neighbour. Pose a threat means be a source of danger, with no words or intentions involved. Close to it is pose a risk to: smoking poses a risk to health.
Your turn
The loose tiles ___ a threat to people using the entrance.
Show the answer
pose — Being a source of danger is pose a threat. Make a threat means threaten someone, and loose tiles don't say anything.
Describe something on your street or in your home that is a danger, and why. Use pose a threat to.
The abandoned fishing nets pose a threat to seabirds because the birds can become trapped.
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