: a frame or machine for interlacing (see interlace sense 1) at right angles two or more sets of threads or yarns to form a cloth
loomed; looming; looms
1
: to come into sight in enlarged or distorted and indistinct form often as a result of atmospheric conditions
Storm clouds loomed on the horizon.
2
a
: to appear in an impressively great or exaggerated form
deficits loomed large
b
: to take shape as an impending occurrence
the problems that loomed ahead
: the indistinct and exaggerated appearance of something seen on the horizon or through fog or darkness
also
: a looming shadow or reflection
Synonyms
Examples of loom in a Sentence
Verb
Storm clouds loomed on the horizon.
The mountains loom above the valley.
Recent Examples on the Web
Expert Panel®, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
Palestinians in Gaza are almost totally dependent on UNRWA for the necessities of life as famine looms and diseases spread alongside continuous Israeli ground and air assaults.
—Joyce Sohyun Lee, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2024
The film uncovers the story of the crash that took the lives of so many and looms over the world of motorsports to this day.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024
This much is certain: Whoever the Chiefs do decide to pay looms as the most consequential storyline of the next few weeks.
—Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2024
March Madness is full of twists, and here’s one to ponder:
What if the Creighton-Oregon winner — the teams meet Saturday in the second round — looms as the greatest obstacle between Gonzaga and the Final Four?
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2024
Thousands of tiny neurons run axons — the brain’s transmission cables for electrical impulses — perpendicularly through the stack of dendrites, like threads in a loom.
—Rebecca Boyle, Quanta Magazine, 24 Jan. 2024
But a larger, trickier deadline for the rest of the government — including the Defense, State and Homeland Security departments — looms just two weeks away, and negotiators are still far apart on spending amounts and policy provisions necessary to fund those agencies.
—Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
Kenyatta has recorded video messages for his estranged daughter, which are projected on the upstage wall, and his face, big as a billboard, looms above Nina’s ugly room, his eyes as staring and huge as a god’s.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2024
Leo Barraclough, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024
But with the extension deadline looming, the Warriors have to place their bet this summer.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
Although some of those trends continue to loom in the background, conditions have improved and given way to other notable IPOs globally—such as Swiss skin care company Galderma.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 16 Apr. 2024
Monday’s meeting offered the public its first glimpse into an investigation that has loomed over the Missouri House since October.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2024
The Quasar stage, named for the highly luminous objects at the center of galaxies, looms just left of the iconic Ferris Wheel.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 15 Apr. 2024
The Heat remained without Duncan Robinson and Terry Rozier, as uncertainty looms over Rozier’s status for the postseason.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2024
But no one counted them out as a looming threat to the more obvious contenders.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2024
But the biggest question that looms over all of those images is still up in the air.
—Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
Noun
With the wave of CEOs mandating their employees come back to the office and the reduction of resources allocated to diversity, equity and inclusion, a decision about what is important looms for executive teams.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
Palestinians in Gaza are almost totally dependent on UNRWA for the necessities of life as famine looms and diseases spread alongside continuous Israeli ground and air assaults.
—Joyce Sohyun Lee, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2024
The film uncovers the story of the crash that took the lives of so many and looms over the world of motorsports to this day.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024
This much is certain: Whoever the Chiefs do decide to pay looms as the most consequential storyline of the next few weeks.
—Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2024
March Madness is full of twists, and here’s one to ponder:
What if the Creighton-Oregon winner — the teams meet Saturday in the second round — looms as the greatest obstacle between Gonzaga and the Final Four?
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2024
Thousands of tiny neurons run axons — the brain’s transmission cables for electrical impulses — perpendicularly through the stack of dendrites, like threads in a loom.
—Rebecca Boyle, Quanta Magazine, 24 Jan. 2024
But a larger, trickier deadline for the rest of the government — including the Defense, State and Homeland Security departments — looms just two weeks away, and negotiators are still far apart on spending amounts and policy provisions necessary to fund those agencies.
—Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
Kenyatta has recorded video messages for his estranged daughter, which are projected on the upstage wall, and his face, big as a billboard, looms above Nina’s ugly room, his eyes as staring and huge as a god’s.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2024
Verb
In the film, as an imminent construction project looms over a beloved small-town baseball field, a pair of New England Sunday league teams face off for the last time over the course of a day.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024
But with the extension deadline looming, the Warriors have to place their bet this summer.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
Although some of those trends continue to loom in the background, conditions have improved and given way to other notable IPOs globally—such as Swiss skin care company Galderma.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 16 Apr. 2024
Monday’s meeting offered the public its first glimpse into an investigation that has loomed over the Missouri House since October.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2024
The Quasar stage, named for the highly luminous objects at the center of galaxies, looms just left of the iconic Ferris Wheel.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 15 Apr. 2024
The Heat remained without Duncan Robinson and Terry Rozier, as uncertainty looms over Rozier’s status for the postseason.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2024
But no one counted them out as a looming threat to the more obvious contenders.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2024
But the biggest question that looms over all of those images is still up in the air.
—Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'loom.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near loom
Cite this Entry
“Loom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loom. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
loom
1 of 2 noun
: a frame or machine for weaving threads or yarns to produce cloth
loom
2 of 2 verb1
: to appear suddenly and often with a large, dim, or strange form
loomed out of the fog
2
: to be about to happen
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