looms; loomed; looming
1
: to appear in a large, strange, or frightening form often in a sudden way
A ship loomed (up) out of the fog.
Storm clouds loomed on the horizon.
: to appear in an impressively large or great form
The mountains loom above/over the valley.
2
: to be close to happening : to be about to happen
—used especially of unpleasant or frightening things
A workers' strike is looming.
A battle is looming in Congress over the proposed budget cuts.
a looming battle/conflict/problem/storm
The deadline looms closer with each passing day.
plural looms
: a frame or machine that is used to weave threads or yarns to produce cloth
Cite this Entry
“Loom.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/loom. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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