Pending
/ˈpɛndɪŋ/
Definitions
2 meaningsRemaining undecided; awaiting decision or settlement.
/ˈpɛndɪŋ/
Waiting to be decided or settled
The contract is pending review by the legal team.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're waiting for your friend to answer if they can come to the party. The answer is *pending*, which means you're still waiting for their reply! Like, 'My pizza order is pending; I'm waiting for it to be made.'
👶 For kids: Waiting to happen or be decided. Like when you ask your mom if you can have ice cream, the answer is 'pending' until she says yes or no!
More Examples
The decision on the proposal is still pending.
All the outstanding tasks are pending completion.
How It's Used
"The lawsuit is pending in the court."
"The merger is pending regulatory approval."
During the time before; while waiting for something to happen or be decided.
/ˈpɛndɪŋ/
During the period before
She is staying at her sister's pending her new apartment being ready.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're starting a game after someone says, 'We'll start playing, *pending* everyone getting here.' It means we'll start when everyone arrives!
👶 For kids: Waiting for something to happen. Like saying, "We're waiting to eat dessert *pending* finishing our dinner."
More Examples
Pending further investigation, the suspect was released.
Pending the outcome of the election, the government has paused on policy decisions.
How It's Used
"He was released on bail pending his trial."
"Pending the arrival of the replacement parts, we will be closed."
Idioms & expressions
pending trial
While awaiting the court proceedings.
"The defendant was held in custody pending trial."
pending approval
Subject to approval
"The project is pending approval from the board."
From Latin *pendere* 'to hang, be suspended'. The word evolved to describe something waiting to be decided or settled.
Used in legal and administrative contexts as early as the 15th century, deriving from the earlier verb 'to pend'.
Memory tip
Think of a flag *pending* on a flagpole; it’s waiting to be taken down or raised, just like something waiting for a decision.
Word Origin
"to hang, be suspended"