Synonyms of looming

looming 1 of 2

adjective

as in impending

giving signs of immediate occurrence

some economists see a looming collapse of the stock market

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

looming

2 of 2

verb

present participle of loom

as in brewing

to be about to happen

he tried to take a proactive approach to dealing with the problems that loomed ahead

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of looming

Verb

That said, at one point Eleanor captures Sofia giving Dunst a note about the scene where Marie Antoinette is upbraided by her ambassador (played by Steve Coogan) for paying more attention to sleeve lengths than a looming diplomatic crisis. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026

The immediate reaction to the ruling among election officials largely centered on the looming Tuesday deadline, Zorich and Spencer said. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026

Unfortunately, the fantasy is interrupted by a giant monolith of a middling luxury condo building looming outside. — Nora Deligter, Curbed, 4 Sep. 2026

The midterms are looming, and the war with Iran has become a key campaign issue as voters go to the polls. — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026

The looming subject of artificial intelligence will also get its own moment in Telluride. — Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Experts agreed that the biggest threat to progress on overdose deaths is the looming Medicaid cuts. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026

Trying to take the lead in the eighth inning, especially with closer Josh Hader rested and looming to pitch the ninth, seemed prudent. — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

The angled basement window, in particular, is an inspired bit of technical mastery, as are the pair of handles on the sides, reserved for the Flukeman and Alex Krycek, who are technically out of the picture, but always feel like a looming presence. — Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026