imminent

[ im-uh-nuhnt ]

/ ˈɪm ə nənt /

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adjective

likely to occur at any moment; impending: Her death is imminent.

projecting or leaning forward; overhanging.

OTHER WORDS FOR imminent

1 near, at hand.

See synonyms for imminent on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR imminent

1 distant, remote.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of imminent

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin imminent- (stem of imminēns ), present participle of imminēre “to overhang,” equivalent to im- im-¹ + -min- from a base meaning “jut out, project, rise” (cf. eminent, mount²) + -ent- -ent

synonym study for imminent

1. Imminent, Impending, Threatening all may carry the implication of menace, misfortune, disaster, but they do so in differing degrees. Imminent may portend evil: an imminent catastrophe, but also may mean simply “about to happen”: The merger is imminent. Impending has a weaker sense of immediacy and threat than imminent : Real tax relief legislation is impending, but it too may be used in situations portending disaster: impending social upheaval; to dread the impending investigation. Threatening almost always suggests ominous warning and menace: a threatening sky just before the tornado struck.

OTHER WORDS FROM imminent

im·mi·nent·ly, adverbim·mi·nent·ness, nounun·im·mi·nent, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH imminent

eminent, immanent, imminent

Words nearby imminent

immigrant, immigrate, immigration, Immigration and Nationality Act, imminence, imminent, imminently, Immingham, immingle, immiscible, immiserate

How to use imminent in a sentence

No one should expect the imminent arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Want Unity For Real? Then America Needs to Get Back to Facts|Samar Ali, Bill Haslam and Jon Meacham|February 8, 2021|Time
Now it would not be her work schedule but Carol’s imminent death that would limit the duration of their bond.
A ‘money pit’ dog, an ailing owner and one big question|Diane Cole|February 5, 2021|Washington Post
The editor was correctly worried that his book, which was not slated to come out for weeks, would be overshadowed by the imminent publication of a massive series of stories on the papers, including their revelations about the Gulf of Tonkin incident.
Seeing the Pentagon Papers in a New Light|by Stephen Engelberg|February 3, 2021|ProPublica
In addition, schools would have been told they could seclude students in unlocked spaces and use other types of restraints only when there is an “imminent danger of serious physical harm” to the student or others.
Bill Banning Locked Seclusion and Face-Down Restraints in Illinois Schools Stalls as Lawmakers Run Out of Time|by Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune, and Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica|January 14, 2021|ProPublica

Several alleged rioters have been arrested in the days following the insurrection, and the arrests of many more are likely imminent.
The Capitol rioters put themselves all over social media. Now they’re getting arrested.|Sara Morrison|January 12, 2021|Vox
Gävle Goat must be dreading the imminent holiday and his fifty-fifty chance of destruction.
Sweden’s Burning Christmas Goat|Nina Strochlic|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yet, the ever-visionary Van Gogh still feels the possibility of acclaim after his imminent death.
Decoding Vincent Van Gogh’s Tempestuous, Fragile Mind|Nick Mafi|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Its arrival, experts say, is not just inevitable but imminent.
What It Takes to Kill a Grizzly Bear|Doug Peacock|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When crawling and walking are imminent, I talk with parents about getting the house ready.
Kids Eat the Darndest Things: Laundry Pods, Teething Necklaces, and More Of The Weirdest Stuff Sending Kids to the E.R.|Russell Saunders|November 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The only exception is military action to repel an imminent attack.
Obama’s ISIS War Is Illegal|Sen. Rand Paul|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
William has thus been happily able to report to the society the approaching conversion of M'Bongo and his imminent civilization.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
They tobogganed down hills without a brake at the imminent peril of their lives.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
Altogether, we spent five consecutive days hovering around that collection of law-enforcers, in imminent risk of capture.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
Fresh light may be shed on the matter by the battle now imminent, but I am cabling on reasoned existing facts.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
Yet he kept on, hoping against imminent death itself that his words would reach some willing ear.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy

British Dictionary definitions for imminent

imminent

/ (ˈɪmɪnənt) /

adjective

liable to happen soon; impending

obsolete jutting out or overhanging

Derived forms of imminent

imminence or imminentness, nounimminently, adverb

Word Origin for imminent

C16: from Latin imminēre to project over, from im- (in) + -minēre to project; related to mons mountain

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

imminent

OTHER WORDS FOR imminent

OPPOSITES FOR imminent

Origin of imminent

synonym study for imminent

OTHER WORDS FROM imminent

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH imminent

Words nearby imminent

Words related to imminent

How to use imminent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for imminent

Derived forms of imminent

Word Origin for imminent