impending
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
describing something that is going to happen very soon, often something unpleasant like a storm or a deadline.
imminent or about to occur; typically used to describe events that are unavoidable or threatening.
Simple“The dark clouds in the distance were a clear sign of an impending storm.”
In context“The company's stock price plummeted as investors reacted to news of the impending merger and the likely restructuring that would follow.”
UsageUsually placed before the noun it describes.
Teacher's tipWhile technically neutral, this word is most often used for negative events like disasters, deadlines, or crises.
Synonyms
“They said they were not informed of the impending sale of Moore’s collection or given the opportunity to acquire it.”
“News of an impending deal came on Tuesday evening, with the PMO releasing a brief statement late Tuesday.”
From impend + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.