oncoming
Americanadjective
-
approaching; nearing.
the oncoming train; the oncoming holiday season.
-
emerging.
the oncoming generation of leaders.
noun
adjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of oncoming
Explanation
If you're standing on the tracks and a train is heading right for you, it's oncoming. Quick, jump out of the way! You'll almost always find the adjective oncoming describing a vehicle or other large object that's moving fast in your direction, whether it's an oncoming car, oncoming traffic, or an oncoming skateboarder who doesn't see you standing there. Much less often, oncoming means "imminent" or "upcoming:" "The oncoming summer holidays were something to look forward to."
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.
The light faded quickly and batting became about surviving to the oncoming close.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
Within minutes, sunlight transforms this material into an ionized gas shield that slows the oncoming massive blob of plasma.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Footage of the crash site on other days showed vehicles stopped on the track, with officials raising the red flag to signal to oncoming trains to stop until the traffic cleared, he said.
From Barron's ● May 18, 2026
Bankhardt told a police officer he would be "coming home", but shortly after 20:30 BST he collided with oncoming traffic.
From BBC ● May 12, 2026
Using the parked truck as cover, they ran across the road, dodging an oncoming car whose horn blared at them.
From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
