impending

adjective

im·​pend·​ing im-ˈpen-diŋ How to pronounce impending (audio)
: occurring or likely to occur soon : upcoming
impending trials
impending motherhood
… scientists who rely on the satellite signals for hints of impending earthquakes and volcanic eruptions …R. Monastersky
… heed the warnings of impending disaster.Publishers Weekly
… many of us secretly enjoy the sassier commercials and elegant layouts, not to mention being told of impending sales.Andrew Hacker

Examples of impending in a Sentence

an impending celebration of the 100th anniversary of the college's founding an aura of impending doom hung over the city
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
As the dust settles on Newcastle United’s disappointing 4-1 defeat at fellow Champions League qualification hopefuls Aston Villa on Saturday, any sense of impending crisis has dissipated. Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025 The chemistry between Davido and Victoria Monét is heavy, the beat is breezy, and the vibes are all about mutual love, respect, and attraction—a perfect track for the impending warm weather. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 21 Apr. 2025 Sheinbaum, who is sixty-two, had been in office almost four months, and for much of that time public discourse had been consumed by Trump’s impending return to power. Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025 News of the notices being handed out at the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Anson, Texas, warning of impending deportations prompted a flurry of legal actions by the A.C.L.U. on Friday in several courts. Hamed Aleaziz, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impending

Word History

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of impending was in 1616

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Cite this Entry

“Impending.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impending. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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