impend

verb

im·​pend im-ˈpend How to pronounce impend (audio)
impended; impending; impends

intransitive verb

1
a
: to be about to occur
the impending trial
b
: to hover threateningly : menace
2
archaic : to hang suspended

Examples of impend in a Sentence

for confirmed pessimists some disaster always seems to be impending
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.
His unwillingness to name a successor is fueling fears of impending political chaos, World Politics Review said, and arguably holding back progress in the country. Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 10 Oct. 2025 What continued to bother him was the strange feeling of impending disaster. Marguerite Reiss, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2025 Publicly, Everton’s response to Dewsbury-Hall’s impending ban has been one of frustration. Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025 Galas’s maid, played by the essential Mary Testa, is a former opera star herself, one who makes ominous pronouncements of impending doom in between her dusting. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impend

Word History

Etymology

Latin impendēre, from in- + pendēre to hang — more at pendant

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of impend was in 1585

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Impend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impend. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

impend

verb
im·​pend im-ˈpend How to pronounce impend (audio)
1
: to threaten to occur immediately
impending danger
2
: to be about to happen
an impending trip
3
archaic : to hang out or over

More from Merriam-Webster on impend

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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