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Synonyms

looming

American  
[loo-ming] / ˈlu mɪŋ /

noun

  1. a mirage in which objects below the horizon seem to be raised above their true positions.

Etymology

Origin of looming

First recorded in 1620–30; loom 2 + -ing 1

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 average price target sits at $55.04, implying a looming pullback—or perhaps difficulty catching up to the stock’s recent rise.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

They were wholly embarrassed in their first two shorthanded games and will wind up falling to a fourth or fifth seed with a first-round matchup looming against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

But Tehran remains defiant on this issue and it will be a decisive one in the looming negotiations between the US and Iran in Islamabad.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

The other big trade issue looming over U.S. companies is the U.S.-Mexico Canada Trade Agreement.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

I squeezed myself into frame, looming over Mom’s shoulder.

From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram

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.