impending

adjective

im·​pend·​ing im-ˈpen-diŋ 

: occurring or likely to occur soon : upcoming

impending trials

impending motherhood

… scientists who rely on the satellite signals for hints of impending earthquakes and volcanic eruptions …

—R. Monastersky

… heed the warnings of impending disaster.

—Publishers Weekly

… many of us secretly enjoy the sassier commercials and elegant layouts, not to mention being told of impending sales.

—Andrew Hacker

Synonyms

• upcoming
• approaching
• coming

Examples of impending in a Sentence

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

an aura of impending doom hung over the city

Recent Examples on the Web

Congress also faces an impending shutdown at the end of the month. —Isabella Volmert, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025

Well, the moon-planet-star trio are among the brightest objects in our solar system, meaning the impending conjunction should be incredibly easy to spot for even the most amateur astronomers. —Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Sep. 2025

That leaves the Blue Jays with three impending free agents, all of whom could conceivably be on their way out. —Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025

The moon-planet-star trio are among the brightest objects in our solar system, meaning the impending conjunction should be incredibly easy to spot. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for impending

• amending
• appending
• ascending
• attending
• befriending
• commending
• contending
• defending
• depending
• descending
• distending
• expending