impend
Hover before happening
To impend is to be about to happen, especially something threatening or momentous: Disaster impends.
The word suggests looming inevitability—dark clouds gathering before a storm.
Impending is the common form: impending doom, impending deadline, an impending sense of dread.
The base verb impend sounds literary and appears mostly in formal or dramatic contexts.
Coming toward something
- nearingGetting progressively closer
- forthcomingSoon to appear
- imminentAbout to occur
- comingIn the process of approaching
advancing · at hand · on the horizon · around the corner · close · in store · ahead · pending
Appearing threateningly close
- ominousSuggesting something bad approaches
- menaceSource of potential harm
- dangerExposure to harm
- perilSerious threat of harm
shadow · specter · doom · foreboding · portent · brewing · gathering · darkening
Intense anticipatory fear
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- uneaseMild persistent worry
- trepidationFearful uncertainty
foreboding · misgiving · suspense · tension · waiting · expectation · watchfulness · vigilance
approaching
Coming toward something
- nearingGetting progressively closer
- forthcomingSoon to appear
- imminentAbout to occur
coming · advancing · at hand · on the horizon · around the corner · close · in store · ahead · pending · proximate
looming
Appearing threateningly close
peril · shadow · specter · doom · foreboding · portent · brewing · gathering · darkening · sinister
dread
Intense anticipatory fear
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- uneaseMild persistent worry
trepidation · foreboding · misgiving · suspense · tension · waiting · expectation · watchfulness · vigilance · alertness
- intimidationthreats, threatening, menacing, intimidate, bullying
- foretellingpredict, prophesy, foretell, foresee, forecast