impend

verb

im·​pend im-ˈpend 

impended; impending; impends

intransitive verb

1

a

: to be about to occur

rain impended

b

: to hover threateningly : menace

… the pressing problems that now impend upon the region …

—Arturo Cruz Jr. et al.

2

archaic : to hang suspended

Synonyms of impend

• loom
• brew

Examples of impend in a Sentence

for confirmed pessimists some disaster always seems to be impending

Recent Examples on the Web

That acute sense of impending loss became entwined with a defeat that sunk the Chiefs to a 6-8 record and eliminated them from playoff contention for the first time since 2014. —Kansas City Star, 14 Dec. 2025

There are impending risks to protections on all Americans. —Essence, 10 Dec. 2025

Hosted by Stewart’s former The Daily Show colleague Stephen Colbert for the last decade, The Late Show’s impending demise news came as the Paramount merger with Skydance was still awaiting approval from the Federal Communications Commission, whose chair answers to Trump. —Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2025

Tony and Ziva race across Europe, fighting to clear their names while protecting their daughter Tali (Isla Gie) from impending danger. —Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin impendēre "to hang above, be suspended, be about to happen (of something undesirable), threaten," from im- im- + pendēre "to hang" — more at pendent

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Rhymes for impend

• amend
• append
• ascend
• attend
• backend
• befriend
• boyfriend
• commend
• compend
• contend
• defend
• depend

Kids Definition

impend

verb

im·​pend im-ˈpend 

1

: to threaten to occur immediately

impending danger

2

: to be about to happen

an impending trip

3

archaic : to hang out or over