impending 1 of 2

adjective

im-ˈpen-diŋ How to pronounce impending (audio)
Definition of impendingnext
1
as in upcoming
being soon to appear or take place an impending celebration of the 100th anniversary of the college's founding

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in looming
giving signs of immediate occurrence an aura of impending doom hung over the city

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

impending

2 of 2

verb

present participle of impend
as in brewing
to be about to happen for confirmed pessimists some disaster always seems to be impending

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impending
Adjective
Fall is closer than I’d like to admit, and with the impending change comes a daunting task—shopping for shoes that can bridge the gap between seasons. — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 9 Aug. 2026 The leadership change is in response to the impending retirement of Geneva Fire Chief Mike Antenore, who spent three decades with the Geneva Fire Department. — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
Recent media reports have fueled fears of impending energy shortages, drawing parallels to the 1970s oil crises. — George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Some Toronto Blue Jays are playing to stay in the big leagues; others face impending free agency or future arbitration cases. — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for impending
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impending
  1. upcoming
  2. imminent
  3. looming
  4. approaching
  5. brewing
  6. coming
Adjective
  • The San Antonio Spurs’ schedule for the upcoming season includes games in France and England, with a league-high 34 appearances on national TV.
    — Jared Weiss, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The musician gave an update on her upcoming album — and opened up about a startling 2019 health scare.
    — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of upcoming
Adjective
  • As one of the most important organs in the body, the heart needs to function properly under all circumstances, even during stressful situations such as imminent danger.
    — Isabella Backman, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Trump has often lobbed verbal threats toward Tehran only to later back down, citing an imminent diplomatic breakthrough that has so far failed to materialize.
    — Alexander Smith, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of imminent
Verb
  • Before the whole scene of domestic bliss is cut short, Cruz and Josie discuss their looming irrelevance as human foot soldiers in a future of wars fought by machines, finding brief solace in each other’s out-of-uniform bodies.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 9 Aug. 2026
  • But with oil inventories dwindling to critically low levels, a looming supply crunch that spikes energy prices again could also test Trump’s patience.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of looming
Adjective
  • Fall is fast approaching, but the Red Sox look like their spring selves again in the worst way.
    — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 12 Aug. 2026
  • While the deadline is fast approaching, Montour keeps working away.
    — Christine Haughney Dare-Bryan, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of approaching
Verb
  • Away from the ring on September 7, 1996, a bicoastal beef that had been brewing for years in the music industry was about to reach its tragic apogee.
    — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The National Hurricane Center on Sunday added a third Atlantic weather system to two already brewing that could develop into the season’s next tropical depression or storm.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of brewing
Adjective
  • And experts think such incidents could become increasingly common in the coming years, as exploration of the moon intensifies.
    — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Bank of America, for example, is still calling for three rate increases in coming months.
    — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of coming

Browse Nearby Words

impended (over)
impending
impending (over)
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Cite this Entry

“Impending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impending. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of impending for Spanish Speakers

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