Synonyms of impending

impending 1 of 2

adjective

im-ˈpen-diŋ 

1

as in upcoming

being soon to appear or take place

an impending celebration of the 100th anniversary of the college's founding

Synonyms & Similar Words

• upcoming
• approaching
• coming
• imminent
• nearing
• to come
• oncoming
• forthcoming
• at hand
• future
• on hand
• pending
• proximate
• on tap
• anticipated
• awaited
• predicted
• expected
• foreseen

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recent
• late
• past
• other
• former
• old
• sometime
• bygone
• foregone
• erstwhile
• onetime
• whilom
• quondam

2

as in looming

giving signs of immediate occurrence

an aura of impending doom hung over the city

Synonyms & Similar Words

• looming
• imminent
• possible
• coming
• approaching
• brewing
• threatening
• around the corner
• pending
• future
• upcoming
• nearing
• probable
• forthcoming
• inevitable
• oncoming
• predicted
• unavoidable
• gathering
• anticipated
• ominous
• apocalyptic
• likely
• awaited
• near
• foreseen
• expected
• menacing
• portentous
• lowering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• eventual
• distant
• ultimate
• remote
• past
• recent
• former
• far-off
• late
• bygone

impending

2 of 2

verb

present participle of impend

as in brewing

to be about to happen

for confirmed pessimists some disaster always seems to be impending

Synonyms & Similar Words

• looming
• brewing
• approaching
• hovering
• nearing
• threatening
• advancing
• drawing on
• hanging
• gathering
• closing in
• lowering
• overhanging
• menacing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• declining
• diminishing
• waning
• falling
• vanishing
• dwindling
• lowering
• disappearing
• lessening
• shrinking
• tapering
• receding
• ebbing
• fading
• subsiding
• abating
• relenting
• moderating
• dying down
• tapering off
• remitting
• passing
• letting up
• withdrawing
• retreating
• falling back
• de-escalating

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of impending

Adjective

Fall is closer than I’d like to admit, and with the impending change comes a daunting task—shopping for shoes that can bridge the gap between seasons. — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 9 Aug. 2026

The leadership change is in response to the impending retirement of Geneva Fire Chief Mike Antenore, who spent three decades with the Geneva Fire Department. — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026

Verb

Recent media reports have fueled fears of impending energy shortages, drawing parallels to the 1970s oil crises. — George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Some Toronto Blue Jays are playing to stay in the big leagues; others face impending free agency or future arbitration cases. — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 25 July 2026