upcoming
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
What does upcoming mean? Upcoming is used to describe something that is scheduled or expected to happen or to be presented or released in the near future. A close synonym is forthcoming. Upcoming is most often used to describe events that will happen soon, like a wedding or an election, or things that will be released soon, such as an album, movie, or new product. The term typically implies that the event will happen or the thing will arrive relatively soon, such as within a few weeks or months or within a year or so. The farther away something is, the less likely you’d be to describe it as upcoming. You also probably wouldn’t use the word for something happening tomorrow. Upcoming should not be confused with the similar-sounding term up-and-coming, which means successful and likely to become more successful. Example: There is a lot of buzz around the up-and-coming band’s upcoming album that will be released in the spring.
Etymology
Origin of upcoming
Explanation
Upcoming means happening soon. If you've always wanted a surprise party, you might drop hints to your friends about your upcoming birthday. The adjective upcoming was first used in the 19th century to mean "rising," but its meaning changed to "forthcoming" or "imminent" by the mid-20th century. If you'll vote next month, you might talk about the upcoming election, and your little sister might be excited about your upcoming family trip to Disney World. Whenever you find yourself thinking of an event that's coming up, it's upcoming!
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.
Pope Leo XIV's upcoming trip to Argentina, the first papal visit in 39 years, is a sort of consolation prize for the homeland of predecessor Francis, who disappointed his compatriots by never returning as pontiff.
From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2026
Anthropic’s upcoming initial public offering is a big deal for Wall Street — and for the big technology companies that have a lot riding on the company’s success.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026
Amy Pascal and David Heyman will produce the upcoming project, which is currently untitled, while Dune's Denis Villeneuve will direct.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
Nevertheless, Parkinson bought a $1.5 million lot at the upcoming wave-pool development Zion Shores in Washington, Utah.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026
So much was at stake in the upcoming match that conflict was almost bound to result.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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