- present participle of impend.
impending
Americanadjective
-
about to happen; imminent.
their impending marriage.
-
imminently threatening or menacing.
an impending storm.
-
Archaic. overhanging.
adjective
Synonym Usage
See imminent.
Etymology
Origin of impending
Explanation
If something is impending, it is about to happen. If you hear thunder in the distance, you might go inside to escape the impending storm. The word impending often refers to something threatening or frightening: impending doom, impending disaster. Something that is impending hangs over you — you might say, "I was so distracted by thoughts of my impending failure in my exams, I couldn't study." A synonym is imminent.
Vocabulary lists containing impending
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 4
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Things Fall Apart
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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.
For many years, if you needed to take a flight due to a family member’s death or impending death, airlines would offer a discounted bereavement, or compassionate, ticket.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
Against the backdrop of the impending presidential election—cue laughter at references to Hillary Clinton’s inevitable win—their affinities and hopes emerge and diverge.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Another season, outfielder Craig Simon, knowing he was weak at the plate, intentionally struck out so he could avoid an impending double play, much to the dismay of the opposing team.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
His impending exit was first reported by The Australian, and confirmed by the Sydney Morning Herald, a masthead owned by Nine.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
As if she knew of her impending fate, Ma gave Kim the backpack with her jewelry sown in the straps, as well as her favorite shirt, on his last visit to her.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
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.
