gathering danger

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "gathering danger" is not a standard expression in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in a context where one is describing an increasing threat or risk, but it is not commonly recognized. Example: "As the storm approached, the gathering danger prompted the town to issue evacuation orders."

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

"Saddam Hussein's regime is a grave and gathering danger.

The New York Times

President Bush was accurate to characterize Saddam as a grave and gathering danger.

The New York Times

That Iraq is "a grave and gathering danger," as the president also said, is not in doubt.

The New York Times

Last Thursday, as President Bush stood before the world and called the Hussein government "a grave and gathering danger," the television in the lobby was tuned to Al Jazeera, which was broadcasting the speeches from the United Nations.

The New York Times

"Saddam Hussein's regime is a grave and gathering danger," Mr. Bush said in his half-hour address, continuing to talk even as a red light on the podium flashed on to indicate that his time had long expired.

The New York Times

On the one hand, getting more juicy quotes from the explosive Reverend Wright was, so to speak, a gift from God, especially since the "Bittergate" story had more or less run its course; on the other hand, someone actually died in San Diego, in a gruesome, Spielbergian way, and there's just no substitute for cranking up terror by convincing the population they are in grave and gathering danger.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

If this wasn't compelling enough, the symbolic Doomsday Clock moved to three minutes before midnight in January 2015 because of the gathering dangers of climate change and nuclear proliferation, signalling the gravest threat to humanity since the throes of the cold war.

Huffington Post

The inherent danger of gathering information is you run the risk of discovering facts that flay and gut your conspiracy theories, which, if you don't golf or fish or whatever, aren't the worst hobbies.

Los Angeles Times

The Ospreys continued to produce pressure but failed to capitalise on a couple of threatening positions with Trimble bravely gathering to avert the danger after Richard Fussell had opted to kick instead of availing of an overlap.

BBC

Mr. Ban, and to lead the United Nations in a new and positive direction at this time of profound danger and gathering darkness.

Huffington Post

When our ancestors were hunting and gathering food there was danger in the environment, and being worried helped them avoid attacks from the saber-toothed cat lurking in the bush.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "gathering danger" when you want to emphasize the gradual and progressive nature of a threat. This phrase is effective in building suspense or highlighting the increasing severity of a situation over time.

Common error

Avoid using "gathering danger" excessively in formal or scientific writing. While not grammatically incorrect, it can sound somewhat dramatic or less precise than alternatives like "escalating threat" or "increasing risk".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "gathering danger" functions primarily as a noun phrase acting as a subject complement or object of a preposition. It describes a situation where a threat is progressively increasing. Ludwig AI examples show it used to characterize situations or conditions that are becoming more perilous.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "gathering danger" describes an escalating threat or risk. Ludwig AI indicates that, while grammatically acceptable, it is not very common and tends to appear in news and formal contexts. Consider alternatives like "escalating threat" or "increasing peril" for more formal or precise writing. Keep in mind that this phrase emphasizes the progressive nature of the danger, making it suitable for scenarios where the threat is gradually intensifying.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

increasing peril

Replaces "gathering" with "increasing" and "danger" with "peril", changing both words for synonyms that convey a similar sense of escalating threat.

escalating threat

Substitutes "gathering" with "escalating", which more directly implies a growth in intensity, and uses "threat" as a synonym for "danger".

growing menace

Replaces both words; "growing" indicates the increase and "menace" suggests a threatening quality, similar to danger.

mounting risk

"Mounting" suggests an accumulation or increase in risk, similar to something that is gathering.

impending doom

Replaces "gathering danger" with a phrase that suggests a more certain and severe outcome, implying the danger is not just increasing, but is also inevitable.

looming threat

"Looming" paints a picture of a threat that's becoming more present and significant.

approaching crisis

Shifts the focus from danger to a crisis that is developing, suggesting a turning point or critical situation.

brewing trouble

"Brewing" implies something is developing or intensifying under the surface, leading to trouble.

emerging hazard

"Emerging" indicates that the hazard is newly appearing or becoming known, emphasizing its recent development.

intensifying risk

"Intensifying" directly conveys the idea of a risk that is growing stronger or more severe.

FAQs

How can I use "gathering danger" in a sentence?

You can use "gathering danger" to describe a situation where a threat or risk is progressively increasing. For example, "The intelligence reports indicated a "gathering danger" of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure".

What are some alternatives to "gathering danger"?

Alternatives to "gathering danger" include "increasing peril", "escalating threat", or "mounting risk", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "gathering danger" formal or informal?

"Gathering danger" is generally considered neutral in tone. However, in highly formal or scientific contexts, more precise terms like "intensifying risk" might be preferred.

What's the difference between "gathering danger" and "imminent threat"?

"Gathering danger" implies a threat that is increasing over time, whereas "imminent threat" suggests a danger that is about to happen immediately. The former describes a process, while the latter describes a state.