impend

verb

im-ˈpend How to pronounce impend (audio)
Definition of impendnext
as in to loom
to be about to happen for confirmed pessimists some disaster always seems to be impending

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impend There’s a wonderful fraction of a second when the Villa fans in the Holte End have to adjust from impending despair to utter joy. — Amitai Winehouse, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 This Celtic name references the goddess of war who often appeared as a crow and at times was a sign of impending doom or death. — Anna Earl, Parents, 5 Sep. 2026 If 2024 was the growing-pains season, when Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese entered as rookies and were still paid around $75,000, 2025 was defined by impending CBA negotiations. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026 Over the weekend, Bloomberg News reported Nvidia has informed customers of impending price hikes on AI servers due to memory costs. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for impend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impend
  1. loom
  2. brew
Verb
  • The debate stage provided Marshall and Hamilton the clearest opportunity to address the criticisms looming over their campaigns.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Some Republican groups have stopped spending in Kean’s race because his race is widely seen as doomed to defeat amid a looming Democratic blue wave.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of loom
Verb
  • Seek it out and the rewards may include a cup of tea brewed with homegrown herbs, served in porcelain van der Hilst made himself.
    — Michael James Gardner, Architectural Digest, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, trouble was also brewing in California, where surface gold was getting harder to find and the competition for it was getting uglier.
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of brew

Phrases Containing impend

Browse Nearby Words

impels
impend
impended
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Impend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impend. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All