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forthcoming

American  
[fawrth-kuhm-ing, fohrth-] / ˈfɔrθˈkʌm ɪŋ, ˈfoʊrθ- /

adjective

  1. coming forth, or about to come forth; about to appear; approaching in time.

    the forthcoming concert.

  2. ready or available when required or expected.

    He assured us that payment would be forthcoming.

  3. frank and cooperative; candid.

    In his testimony, the senator could have been more forthcoming.

  4. friendly and outgoing; sociable.


noun

  1. a coming forth; appearance.

forthcoming British  
/ ˌfɔːθˈkʌmɪŋ /

adjective

  1. approaching in time

    the forthcoming debate

  2. about to appear

    his forthcoming book

  3. available or ready

    the money wasn't forthcoming

  4. open or sociable

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of forthcoming

First recorded in 1515–25; forth + coming

Explanation

You know when you go to a movie and they show the previews under the heading "Coming Soon?" They could just as well say forthcoming, because it means the same thing. Only who would want to see that stuffy movie? "Forthcoming with" means "providing" — hopefully your neighbors are forthcoming with candy on Halloween, so you can fill up your bag. Sometimes parents complain that their teenagers are not forthcoming with information about their life at school. When someone is forthcoming, they are open and honest about what they're saying and they do it in a willing and friendly way.

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Vocabulary lists containing forthcoming

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.

Tomi Adeyemi, the author of the bestselling fantasy “Children of Blood and Bone,” isn’t planning to see the forthcoming film adaptation — even though she co-wrote it.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2026

Polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice predicted that the forthcoming Clacton by-election could turn out to be a "damp squib" after other major parties said they will not contest the vote.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026

However, it signaled another rate rise at one of its forthcoming meetings, noting that inflation remains too high.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026

Warsh hasn’t been as forthcoming as his predecessors in his public pronouncements on the economy.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 1, 2026

All that day there was much talk about the forthcoming lessons; a great deal of store was set by being able to vanish and reappear at will.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

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