Word: impending (adjective)

Associations

"Impending" means something that is about to happen soon, usually something negative or worrying.

• The impending storm made everyone prepare by closing windows and gathering supplies. Here, "impending" shows the storm is coming very soon.
• She felt nervous about the impending exam, meaning the exam will happen soon and causes worry.
• The company warned about impending layoffs, meaning job cuts will happen soon. A close synonym is "upcoming," but "upcoming" is neutral or positive, while "impending" often suggests something bad or threatening.

Substitution

You can replace "impending" with:

• "upcoming" if the event is neutral or positive (e.g., upcoming meeting).
• "approaching" to show something is coming soon.
• "forthcoming" which is more formal. Using "impending" usually adds a feeling of urgency or worry.

Deconstruction

"Impending" comes from the verb "impend," which means "to hang over" or "to be about to happen."

• Prefix: "im-" here is part of the verb root, not a negative prefix.
• Root: "pend" means "to hang" (like in "pendulum"). So, "impending" literally means "hanging over," like a cloud or event that is about to arrive.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you felt an impending event? Was it exciting or scary?
• How does using "impending" change the feeling of a sentence compared to just saying "soon"?
• What kind of events do you think are best described as "impending"? Why?