as in threat
something that may cause injury or harm
since the end of the Cold War, nuclear annihilation has seemed to be a less likely imminence
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Recent Examples of imminence
Second, and related to the first, the prophecies tend to concern things with minimal social relevance—an acorn about to fall, the imminence of a blue car, a word someone will speak.
—
Literary Hub, 23 July 2025
The number five, in both cases, becomes a symbol of loss and imminence, painted in starkly different hues.
—arkansasonline.com, 5 July 2025
Those of us with long memories can remember Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talking about the imminence of an Iranian nuclear bomb as far back as 1996.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2025
Sometimes the pas de deux between light showbiz dramedy and weightier themes, from the existential threats facing the arts community to the imminence of extinction-level environmental catastrophes, can feel disproportionate.
—Judy Berman, Time, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imminence
Literary Hub, 23 July 2025
The number five, in both cases, becomes a symbol of loss and imminence, painted in starkly different hues.
—arkansasonline.com, 5 July 2025
Those of us with long memories can remember Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talking about the imminence of an Iranian nuclear bomb as far back as 1996.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2025
Sometimes the pas de deux between light showbiz dramedy and weightier themes, from the existential threats facing the arts community to the imminence of extinction-level environmental catastrophes, can feel disproportionate.
—Judy Berman, Time, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imminence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imminence
Noun
-
In the air, innocuous human behavior carries a sense of threat.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
Colorado homeowners were among the least likely in the nation to have purchased supplemental insurance riders (53%), even as wildfires, severe storms, and flooding continue to pose real threats.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Authorities have banned all activities within a 2½-mile danger zone around the crater, in line with recommendations from Indonesia’s volcanology agency.—
Niniek Karmini,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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Jagged pieces of cement push through the dirt as orange and white caution cones warn drivers of danger.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imminence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imminence. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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