impending

[ im-pen-ding ]
/ ɪmˈpɛn dɪŋ /

adjective

about to happen; imminent: their impending marriage.
imminently threatening or menacing: an impending storm.
Archaic. overhanging.

Origin of impending

First recorded in 1675–85; impend + -ing2

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH impending

pending impending

Definition for impending (2 of 2)

impend
[ im-pend ]
/ ɪmˈpɛnd /

verb (used without object)

to be imminent; be about to happen.
to threaten or menace: He felt that danger impended.
Archaic. to hang or be suspended; overhang (usually followed by over).

Origin of impend

First recorded in 1580–90, impend is from the Latin word impendēre to hang over, threaten. See im-1, pend

OTHER WORDS FROM impend

su·per·im·pend, verb (used without object)

Example sentences from the Web for impending

British Dictionary definitions for impending (1 of 2)

impending
/ (ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ) /

adjective

about to happen; imminent

British Dictionary definitions for impending (2 of 2)

impend
/ (ɪmˈpɛnd) /

verb (intr)

(esp of something threatening) to be about to happen; be imminent
(foll by over) rare to be suspended; hang

Derived forms of impend

impendence or impendency, noun

Word Origin for impend

C16: from Latin impendēre to overhang, from pendēre to hang