impending

American

[im-pen-ding] / ɪmˈpɛn dɪŋ /

adjective

about to happen; imminent.

their impending marriage.
imminently threatening or menacing.

an impending storm.
Archaic. overhanging.

impending British

/ ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ /

adjective

about to happen; imminent

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See imminent.

Etymology

Origin of impending

First recorded in 1675–85; impend + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When rumors began floating about the impending acquisition Wednesday, some OpenAI employees thought it was an April Fool’s joke.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Still, Dorsheimer said the impending merger with Veeco “will complement Axcelis’s singular focus on ion implant and cast a wider net to cover semiconductor capital equipment.”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 28, 2026

Kudrow’s comedy and the film – a real doc, not a mockumentary – take different approaches to grasping the fear and possibility of AI’s impending takeover.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026

KNX, the all-news station in Los Angeles that has carried CBS programming since 1936, posted a lengthy segment on the impending closure and explained how “KNX News is not going anywhere.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

After a while the baboon sighed deeply and relaxed again into the posture of impending death.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023