looming

American  

[loo-ming] / ˈlu mɪŋ /

noun

1. a mirage in which objects below the horizon seem to be raised above their true positions.

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Etymology

Origin of looming

First recorded in 1620–30; loom ² + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

With the sides still far apart and a deadline looming, the league’s goal is to avoid a repeat of 2012 by crafting a blueprint based on lessons learned from everything that went wrong.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Reports of potentially looming job cuts at Oracle have been floating around for weeks.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

In the village of Pusztavacs in central Hungary, election posters on electricity poles remind voters of a looming poll, where nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban's future is on the line.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

With potential armageddon looming in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, who knows when the next season might actually open?

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

At this same time, the spring production of Lincoln: The True Story of Honest Abe’s Honesty was well into rehearsals, with opening night looming.

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles

Related Words

• approaching
• imminent
• impending