impending

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ/ UK /ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
about to happen, especially something threatening or unwelcome

Dark clouds warned of the impending storm.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · about to happen, especially... imminent looming approaching forthcoming threatening upcoming

Opposites

distant remote past

Word family

Related forms impend impendent pending pendant

Etymology

Present participle of impend, from Latin impendere ('to hang over, threaten'), from in- ('over') + pendere ('to hang').

impendere Latin pendere Latin

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Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

# impending

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ
**IPA (UK):** ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ

## Meanings
1. about to happen, especially something threatening or unwelcome

## Examples
- Dark clouds warned of the impending storm.

## Synonyms
- imminent
- looming
- approaching
- forthcoming
- threatening
- upcoming

## Antonyms
- distant
- remote
- past

## Related Forms
- impend
- impendent
- pending
- pendant

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: impendere
- Root: pendere

## Etymology
Present participle of impend, from Latin impendere ('to hang over, threaten'), from in- ('over') + pendere ('to hang').

## AI Etymology
Impending is the present participle of impend, from Latin impendere ('to hang over, threaten'), from in- ('over') + pendere ('to hang'). The prefix supplies the first semantic turn, while the base carries the lexical core of the word. As an adjective, it carries the sense "about to happen, especially something threatening or unwelcome", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin impendere and Latin pendere. Related words include impend, impendent, pending, pendant.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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impending

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