impending

adjective

im·​pend·​ing im-ˈpen-diŋ 

: 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

Synonyms of impending

• upcoming
• approaching
• coming

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

But Brian can’t resist warning his past self about the impending 9/11 attacks, and this results in a ripple effect that eventually transforms our characters’ world into a postnuclear hellscape. — Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 25 July 2026

While there is still time for the Senate to pass the legislation prior to early January, when the current Congress will conclude its term, the politics surrounding the impending mid-term elections could doom its chances. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 24 July 2026

The impending free agent led the team in innings (169 2/3) in 2025 and has already cleared the 100-inning mark this season. — The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 24 July 2026

Stoplights that could have warned the American flight of the impending conflict extinguished after the small plane landed and did not illuminate again until the Delta plane was on final approach, the report said. — Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 23 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of impend

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for impending

• amending
• appending
• ascending
• attending
• befriending
• commending
• contending
• defending
• depending
• descending
• distending
• expending