Showing Results for "impending"

See Also:

• present participle of impend.

impending

American  

[im-pen-ding] / ɪmˈpɛn dɪŋ /

adjective

1. about to happen; imminent.

   their impending marriage.

2. imminently threatening or menacing.

   an impending storm.

3. Archaic. overhanging.

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impending British  

/ ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ /

adjective

1. about to happen; imminent

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Synonym Usage

See imminent.

Etymology

Origin of impending

First recorded in 1675–85; impend + -ing ²

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.

Related Words

• approaching
• brewing
• imminent
• looming