oncoming
Americanadjective
-
approaching; nearing.
the oncoming train; the oncoming holiday season.
-
emerging.
the oncoming generation of leaders.
noun
adjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of oncoming
Explanation
If you're standing on the tracks and a train is heading right for you, it's oncoming. Quick, jump out of the way! You'll almost always find the adjective oncoming describing a vehicle or other large object that's moving fast in your direction, whether it's an oncoming car, oncoming traffic, or an oncoming skateboarder who doesn't see you standing there. Much less often, oncoming means "imminent" or "upcoming:" "The oncoming summer holidays were something to look forward to."
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 footage shows the oncoming bus is forced to swerve into the adjacent lane to avoid hitting the woman.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
The pleasure here is less in the story than in the Fleischers’ artfulness in rendering such moments as Superman deploying his cape to shield Lois Lane from an oncoming rush of lava.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
The mostly smooth ride was only interrupted when an oncoming vehicle veered into the wrong lane, forcing the car to stop suddenly.
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
An investigation revealed the Cruze’s driver, Armando Ortiz Mendoza, 26, crossed over the double yellow line into oncoming traffic and caused the crash, according to the release.
From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026
I could see that JimmyTrotter didn’t talk about his brother, mother, father, or grandmother or the accident caused by the oncoming trucker who had fallen asleep at the wheel while driving a tractor-trailer carrying lumber.
From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia
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.
