What does threshold mean?

Definitions for threshold
ˈθrɛʃ oʊld, ˈθrɛʃ hoʊldthresh·old

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word threshold.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. thresholdnoun

    the starting point for a new state or experience

    "on the threshold of manhood"

  2. threshold, limennoun

    the smallest detectable sensation

  3. doorway, door, room access, thresholdnoun

    the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close

    "he stuck his head in the doorway"

  4. doorsill, doorstep, thresholdnoun

    the sill of a door; a horizontal piece of wood or stone that forms the bottom of a doorway and offers support when passing through a doorway

  5. brink, threshold, vergenoun

    a region marking a boundary

Wiktionary

  1. thresholdnoun

    The bottom-most part of a doorway that one crosses to enter; a sill.

  2. thresholdnoun

    An entrance

  3. thresholdnoun

    The start of the landing area of a runway

  4. thresholdnoun

    The quantitative point at which an action is triggered, especially a lower limit

  5. thresholdnoun

    The wage or salary at which income tax becomes due

  6. thresholdnoun

    The outset of an action or project

  7. thresholdnoun

    The point where one mentally or physically is vulnerable in response to provocation or to particular things in general. As in emotions, stress, or pain.

  8. thresholdnoun

    The point of beginning or entry

    From all the pressure my partner has been through lately, his emotion threshold has suddenly gotten pretty low these days. I can tell because he easily loses it when he is around people or hears about anything to do with his concerns.

  9. Etymology: From þrescold, from þrescan

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Thresholdnoun

    The ground or step under the door; entrance; gate; door.

    Etymology: ðrescwald , Saxon.

    Fair marching forth in honourable wise,
    Him at the threshold met she well did enterprize. Edmund Spenser.

    Many men, that stumble at the threshold,
    Are well foretold that danger lurks within. William Shakespeare.

    Not better
    Than still at hell’s dark threshold t’ have sat watch,
    Unnam’d, undreaded, and thy self half starv’d? John Milton.

    Before the starry threshold of Jove’s court
    My mansion is, where those immortal shapes
    Of bright aereal spirits live inspher’d
    In regions mild, of calm and serene air. John Milton.

    There sought the queen’s apartment, stood before
    The peaceful threshold, and besieg’d the door. Dryden.

ChatGPT

  1. threshold

    Threshold is a point or level where something begins, changes, or is reached. It can refer to the minimum or maximum amount, value, or quality required to trigger a certain action, decision, or change. In various contexts, a threshold can be a boundary, limit, or a critical point that must be surpassed or met for a specific outcome or consequence to occur.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Thresholdnoun

    the plank, stone, or piece of timber, which lies under a door, especially of a dwelling house, church, temple, or the like; the doorsill; hence, entrance; gate; door

  2. Thresholdnoun

    fig.: The place or point of entering or beginning, entrance; outset; as, the threshold of life

Wikidata

  1. Threshold

    Threshold is a progressive metal band, formed in Surrey, UK in the late 1980s.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Threshold

    thresh′ōld, n. a piece of wood or stone under the door of a house: door: entrance: the place or point of entering. [M. E. threshwold—A.S. therscwaldtherscan, to thresh, wald, wood.]

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms

  1. threshold

    The beginning of that portion of the runway usable for landing.

Editors Contribution

  1. threshold

    An income amount or range created in legislation that defines the just, fair and specific income amount when tax must be paid at a just, fair and specific rate using data, facts information, research and statistics to prove the tax rate.

    The threshold is easily achieved to ensure the grant iss able to be applied for.


    Submitted by MaryC on December 24, 2019  

Suggested Resources

  1. threshold

    Song lyrics by threshold -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by threshold on the Lyrics.com website.

British National Corpus

  1. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'threshold' in Nouns Frequency: #2777

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

How to pronounce threshold?

How to say threshold in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of threshold in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of threshold in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of threshold in a Sentence

  1. Bill Scher:

    You have to consider what her( Stein’s) real objective is, she does not care about getting on the debate stage, she wants to the five percent threshold in November. In doing that she will earn recognition by the Federal Election Commission as a minority party and will be able to make Green Party a more permanent fixture in American politics.

  2. David Weller:

    Keep in mind that carrying capacity is not a hard ceiling, but that it's a shifting threshold, in some years or period of years the environment is capable of supporting more whales than in other years.

  3. Justin Amash:

    Contrary to Barr's portrayal, Mueller's report reveals that President Trump engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment.

  4. Chuck Schumer:

    I think without question Chad Readler would not get on the bench, the 60-vote threshold brought parties together and picked more judges to be moderate.

  5. Justin Mankin:

    The effects of Lake Powell dipping below Lake Powell critical threshold in spring could reverberate through the states reliant on that water months down the road.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

threshold#1#5819#10000

Translations for threshold

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

Get even more translations for threshold »

Translation

Find a translation for the threshold definition in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?


Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"threshold." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LTD, 2026. Web. 18 May 2026. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/threshold>.

Discuss these threshold definitions with the community:

    Are we missing a good definition for threshold? Don't keep it to yourself...

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Quiz

    Are you a words master?

    »
    denote or connote
    A depend
    B signify
    C refine
    D conceal

    Nearby & related entries:

    Alternative searches for threshold: