adj · noun · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛndɪŋ
CMU ARPABET:IH2 M P EH1 N D IH0 NG
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Approaching; drawing near; about to happen or expected to happen.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
I have no time right now because of an impending paper submission deadline.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: imminent, in the offing, proximate
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Something that impends or threatens; an expected event.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
present participle and gerund of impend
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present
Examples
The hurricane is impending.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
close in time; about to occur
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
retribution is at hand
some people believe the day of judgment is close at hand
in imminent danger
his impending retirement
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: at hand(p), close at hand(p), imminent, impendent
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From impend + -ing.
Across languages
Translations
26 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
предстоящ
(predstojašt)
— about to happen
Catalan:
imminent
— about to happen
Czech:
blížící se
— about to happen
Dutch:
nakend
— about to happen
Esperanto:
antaŭstaranta
— about to happen
French:
imminent
— about to happen
Galician:
inminente
— about to happen
German:
bevorstehend
— about to happen
Māori:
raraka
— about to happen
Māori:
whano
— about to happen
Persian:
قریبالوقوع
(qarib-olvoqu')
— about to happen
Plautdietsch:
dreiwent
— about to happen
Portuguese:
iminente
— about to happen
Russian:
приближа́ющийся
(približájuščijsja)
— about to happen
Russian:
надвига́ющийся
(nadvigájuščijsja)
— about to happen
Russian:
предстоя́щий
(predstojáščij)
— about to happen
Sanskrit:
भविष्य
(bhaviṣya)
— about to happen
Spanish:
impendiente
— about to happen
Spanish:
impendedor
— about to happen
Swedish:
hotande
— about to happen
Swedish:
förestående
— about to happen
Swedish:
kommande
— about to happen
Ukrainian:
навислий
(navyslyj)
— about to happen
Ukrainian:
той, що наближається
(toj, ščo nablyžajetʹsja)
— about to happen
Ukrainian:
той, що насувається
(toj, ščo nasuvajetʹsja)
— about to happen
