Impending
/ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ/
Definitions
About to happen or occur; imminent.
/ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ/
About to happen; forthcoming
The company announced an impending merger.
💡 Simply: It's like when you know something's going to happen really soon. Like, you can feel the excitement or the worry about it coming.
👶 For kids: Something that is going to happen soon!
More Examples
She sensed the impending danger and hurried away.
The impending deadline created a lot of stress.
They prepared for the impending arrival of the guests.
How It's Used
"The weather forecast predicted impending rain."
"Authorities warned of an impending storm."
"A sense of impending doom filled the air."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
impending crisis
A crisis that is about to happen.
"The economists are warning of an impending financial crisis."
impending doom
A feeling that something terrible is about to happen.
"A sense of impending doom hung over the town as the storm clouds gathered."
From Latin *impendēre* (“to hang over, threaten”), from *in-* (“in, on”) + *pendēre* (“to hang”).
The word 'impending' has been used since the 15th century, originally with a broader sense of 'hanging over' or 'threatening'.
Memory tip
Think of something 'hanging' over you, ready to happen.
Word Origin
"to hang"