pendency

American  

[pen-duhn-see] / ˈpɛn dən si /

noun

plural

pendencies

1. the state or time of being pending, undecided, or undetermined, as of a lawsuit awaiting settlement.

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Other Word Forms

• nonpendency noun

Etymology

Origin of pendency

1630–40 pend(ent) + -ency

Example Sentences

Lee’s letter said he was concerned that the Warner-Netflix deal “could operate as a so-called `killer non-acquisition,’ effectively weakening a major competitor through the pendency of the merger review process.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026

The filing contends that the plaintiffs would suffer “immediate and irreparable harm if the status quo is not preserved during the pendency of this lawsuit.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 10, 2025

“Given the pendency of the second appeal and the complexities and uncertainties associated with determining the quantum of restitution, the eventual financial impact could be significantly different,” said the bank.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 27, 2025

It said that authority extended “to every offence known to the law and able to be exercised either before legal proceedings are taken, or during their pendency, or after conviction and judgment.”

From Salon • Mar. 18, 2025

Compensation, if it be adequate in the amount, may still necessarily be long delayed; and the pendency of such claims always proves troublesome to the governments of both countries.

From The Great Speeches and Orations of Daniel Webster With an Essay on Daniel Webster as a Master of English Style by Webster, Daniel