English Reference
adjective

forthcoming

adj.
US /ˈfɔɹθˈkəmɪŋ/ UK /fˈɔːθkʌmɪŋ/ forth·com·ing

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    happening soon or planned for the near future.

    approaching or about to take place in the near future.

    Simple

    The list of forthcoming events is published on the school website every month.

    In context

    The author provides a detailed bibliography of both published works and forthcoming titles currently in production at the university press.

    Usage

    Usually placed before the noun it describes.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced Formal

    willing to give information or talk about something openly.

    willing to provide information, cooperate, or speak candidly about a subject.

    Simple

    The witness was not very forthcoming with details about what she saw.

    In context

    The administration has been less than forthcoming regarding the specific budgetary cuts planned for the next fiscal year.

    Usage

    Often follows a linking verb like 'be' or 'seem'.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced FormalAcademic

    available or provided when it is needed.

    available, ready, or provided when required; often used in the negative to describe a lack of support or funds.

    Simple

    If the money is not forthcoming, we will have to cancel the project.

    In context

    Despite several requests for emergency assistance, the promised medical supplies were not forthcoming during the height of the crisis.

In his forthcoming memoir, Arday says he completed the distance by taking painkillers and despite his right leg swelling to twice its normal size.

The Guardian· 1 Aug 2026

The Honor Committee had not ruled on the substance of the allegations, but it had found Rignol liable for “not being forthcoming”—which Yale treated as a separate honor code violation.

Ars Technica· 31 Jul 2026

Etymology 1

The adjective is derived from forth (“forwards”) + coming (“approaching (adjective)”); or from Middle English forth commyng, forthcominge, present participle of forth-comen (“to come forth; to appear, issue”), from Old English forþcuman (“to come forth, come forward”) (present participle forþcumende), from forþ- (“forth; forward”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European per- (“before, in front; first”)) + cuman (“to come”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʷem- (“to step”)). Compare Dutch voortkomend (“coming forth, originating from (verb)”), German fortkommend (“getting away; progressing (verb)”). The noun is derived from forth (“forwards”) + coming (“arrival”).

Etymology 2

From forthcome + -ing.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin ine-pro *gʷem-
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated