- about to happen; imminent
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
im•pend•ing /ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ/USA pronunciation
adj. [before a noun]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- about to happen:the impending crisis.
im•pend•ing
(im pen′ding),USA pronunciation adj.
- about to happen;
imminent:their impending marriage. - imminently threatening or menacing:an impending storm.
- [Archaic.]overhanging.
- impend + -ing2 1675–85
- 1. See imminent.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
impending /ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ/, rare impendent /ɪmˈpɛndənt/ adj
im•pend
(im pend′),USA pronunciation v.i.
- to be imminent;
be about to happen. - to threaten or menace:He felt that danger impended.
- [Archaic.]to hang or be suspended;
overhang (usually fol. by over).
- Latin impendēre to hang over, threaten. See im-1, pend
- 1580–90
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
impend /ɪmˈpɛnd/ vb (intransitive)
- (esp of something threatening) to be about to happen; be imminent
- (followed by over) rare to be suspended; hang
'impending' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
banshee
- barometer
- brew
- early warning
- fear
- fissure
- foreboding
- imminent
- Sword of Damocles
- alert
- atmosphere
- card
- coming
- decathect
- denunciation
- doomsayer
- doomsday
- false alarm
- hand
- heads up
- imminence
- impendent
- key
- loom
- momentary
- near
- notice
- panic attack
- pardon
- pendent
- pending
- reprieve
- threaten
- tip
- upcoming
- warn
- wind
- salt
- stare