offing
Just beyond sight
The offing is the distant part of the sea visible from shore—where the horizon meets the water.
From this image of something visible but not yet arrived comes the common phrase in the offing, meaning about to happen or likely to occur soon: A promotion is in the offing.
The word rarely appears outside this idiom.
Coming toward something
- loomingAppearing threateningly close
- impendingSoon to occur
- forthcomingSoon to appear
- upcomingSoon to occur
pending · brewing · nigh · near · inevitable · anticipated · expected · prospective
Apparent earth-sky meeting
- seawardToward the ocean
- distanceSpace between two points
- vistaPleasing distant scene
- skylineUrban profile against atmosphere
maritime · seafaring · nautical · sailing · navigation · mariner · lookout · sightline
State of awaiting something
- futureTime still to come
- outlookAttitude toward the future
- expectationBelief about future outcomes
- possibilityState of being achievable
potential · likelihood · probability · forecast · projection · promise · horizon · development
approaching
Coming toward something
- loomingAppearing threateningly close
- impendingSoon to occur
- forthcomingSoon to appear
upcoming · pending · brewing · nigh · near · inevitable · anticipated · expected · prospective · eventual
horizon
Apparent earth-sky meeting
skyline · maritime · seafaring · nautical · sailing · navigation · mariner · lookout · sightline · bearing
anticipation
State of awaiting something
- futureTime still to come
- outlookAttitude toward the future
- expectationBelief about future outcomes
possibility · potential · likelihood · probability · forecast · projection · promise · horizon · development · emergence
- eliminatingeliminating, eradicating, wiping out, exterminating, abolishing