pending 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of pendingnext
1
as in unsettled
not yet settled or decided a decision is pending about whether to buy computers or sports equipment with this money

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in upcoming
being soon to appear or take place a pending review of your work so far this term

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in impending
giving signs of immediate occurrence the sky darkened with a pending storm

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pending

2 of 2

preposition

ˈpen-diŋ How to pronounce pending (audio)
as in during
in the course of the government must continue to function pending negotiations for next year's budget

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pending
Adjective
That matters for OpenAI because Texas is central to Stargate, with its flagship site in Abilene, and additional pending projects in the state. — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026 Turner was out of jail while facing two separate armed robbery cases that remain pending, according to court records. — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
Preposition
Judges have blocked Alabama's and Arkansas' measures from taking effect pending litigation. — Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, 16 Nov. 2022 Since Sorokin is currently in Immigration and Enforcement custody pending deportation, the video interview happened in fits and starts because Cooper and Sorokin had to keep reconnecting on the phone when time was up. — Lisa Respers France, CNN, 17 Mar. 2022 See All Example Sentences for pending
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pending
  1. unsettled
  2. upcoming
  3. impending
  4. during
  5. unresolved
  6. approaching
  7. undetermined
  8. coming
Adjective
  • But key details of the new Medi-Cal requirements remained unsettled.
    — JOSÉ LUIS VILLEGAS, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Why the Fourth Amendment matters The law remains unsettled on ALPR use.
    — Henry F. Fradella, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsettled
Adjective
  • The upcoming midterm elections are setting the stage for unusually significant changes to key Senate committees that play an important role in health care.
    — John Wilkerson, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The latest iteration of the colorway will feature a two-tone black-and-gray upper, a feature that has historically alternated between solid black and the contrasting look seen on the upcoming reissue.
    — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of upcoming
Adjective
  • The New York Rangers had a revenue-sharing expense of $43 million last season, according to documents filed for their impending spinoff from Madison Square Garden Sports.
    — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Industry insiders had been anticipating the younger Blavatnik’s entry into the company for years, and speculation of his impending appointment had been growing louder over the past several months.
    — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of impending
Preposition
  • Dozens of fake food distributors part of the Feeding Our Future fraud ring collectively stole more than $250 million in federal relief funds meant to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Sube Shoten, a tofu maker founded in 1877 during Japan’s Meiji era, reportedly ceased operations in May and began preparing to file for bankruptcy as low profit margins and a recent surge in raw-material costs clouded its business outlook.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of during
Adjective
  • There are currently 486 unresolved issues when combining all 10 bargaining groups — one for each bargaining unit and a master that applies to each unit — and nearly 248 tentative agreements.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Without conflicting appellate decisions, the DOJ would lack a traditional ground for Supreme Court review, though the justices can also hear sufficiently important unresolved federal questions.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of unresolved
Adjective
  • The 2026 midterm elections are fast approaching, and in some states, voters are already casting ballots.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Election day in South Dakota is fast approaching, and several important statewide offices will be on your ballots.
    — Gabriel Brito, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of approaching
Adjective
  • Riverside Fire Chief Greg White told The Times that the investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, and the cause remains undetermined.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • During the incident, the suspects allegedly stole the clerk’s cellular phone, watch and an undetermined amount of cash, police said.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of undetermined
Adjective
  • Middleton’s district includes Sunrise Mall, and in the coming years, the city will attempt to guide the struggling property through an ambitious revitalization effort.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Adidas Virginia Adistar Jellyfish V2 is expected in the coming months, with several colorways set to be released throughout 2027 according to @brandon1an.
    — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of coming

Browse Nearby Words

pendent
pending
pendulous
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pending. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All