threshold Definition
- 1the strip of wood or other material at the bottom of a doorway, considered as forming the entrance to a room.
- 2the magnitude or intensity that must be exceeded for a certain reaction, phenomenon, result, or condition to occur or be manifested.
- 3the point at which a stimulus is of sufficient intensity to begin to produce an effect.
Using threshold: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "threshold" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He stood on the threshold of the conference room, waiting for his turn to speak.
Example
The threshold for pain varies from person to person.
Example
The threshold of hearing is different for different species.
threshold Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with threshold
Example
The government has set the threshold of poverty at $20,000 per year.
the level of awareness below which a person is unable to perceive or respond to stimuli
Example
The patient was in a coma and had not yet crossed the threshold of consciousness.
Example
The dentist asked if I had crossed my threshold of pain during the procedure.
Origins of threshold
Old English 'threscold', from therscan 'tread, trample'
Summary: threshold in Brief
The term 'threshold' [thresh-hohld, thresh-uhld] refers to the strip of wood or other material at the bottom of a doorway, or the magnitude or intensity that must be exceeded for a certain reaction, phenomenon, result, or condition to occur or be manifested. It can also refer to the point at which a stimulus is of sufficient intensity to begin to produce an effect. Examples include 'He stood on the threshold of the conference room,' and 'The threshold for pain varies from person to person.'
