Synonyms for

Impending

Verb / ˌɪˈmpendɪŋ / Another word for impending — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

about to happen, imminent

Synonyms & similar words

impendent impend athand closeathand imminent approaching forthcoming looming imminent upcoming pending impending threatening near coming brewing close nearing

Synonyms by register

Formal

imminent forthcoming approaching looming

Informal

coming up on the way about to happen

Literary

nigh at hand

Antonyms

past overdue finished concluded departed gone

Common collocations

  • impending doom
  • impending crisis
  • impending danger
  • impending arrival
  • impending deadline
  • impending change
  • impending judgment

Word family

verb impend
adjective impending

Usage note

Impending is often used to describe something negative or significant that is about to happen. It is generally used in formal or serious contexts.

Example sentences

  1. The impending arrival of Christmas fills me with joy.
  2. The impending rainstorm made me cancel my plans.
  3. I have an impending sense of doom about this exam.
  4. The impending snowstorm will make it hard to travel.
  5. The impending wedding is causing a lot of excitement in the family.

Quotes

  • The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is. - C.S. Lewis
  • The future depends on what we do in the present. - Mahatma Gandhi
  • We are not makers of history. We are made by history. - Martin Luther King Jr.

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