Finding a synonym for impending is easy; finding one that preserves the exact meaning and tone is harder. The closest alternative is usually imminent, but words such as approaching, looming, upcoming, forthcoming, nearing, and coming work better in particular contexts. The important distinction is that impending often suggests that something is about to happen and frequently carries a sense of concern, seriousness, or unwanted consequences.
Quick Answer: What Are the Best Synonyms of Impending?
The closest synonyms of impending include imminent, approaching, nearing, looming, coming, upcoming, and forthcoming. However, they are not interchangeable in every sentence. Imminent is the closest general substitute, looming emphasizes a threatening event, while upcoming and forthcoming are more neutral and often suit planned or expected events.
Core Synonyms of Impending
| Word | Relationship | Meaning / Nuance | Best Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| imminent | Direct synonym | About to happen very soon | Danger, events, changes, arrivals |
| approaching | Near synonym | Drawing closer in time | Storms, deadlines, dates, events |
| nearing | Near synonym | Getting close to a particular time | Deadlines, completion, dates |
| looming | Contextual synonym | Approaching while seeming threatening or important | Problems, danger, crises |
| coming | Broad alternative | Going to happen or arrive | Events, changes, periods |
| upcoming | Contextual alternative | Scheduled or expected to happen soon | Events, meetings, elections |
| forthcoming | Contextual alternative | Expected or scheduled to happen soon | Events, announcements, changes |
| oncoming | Contextual alternative | Moving or coming toward someone | Traffic, vehicles, storms |
| at hand | Phrase-level alternative | Very near or about to occur | Deadlines, opportunities, events |
| around the corner | Informal phrase | Likely to happen very soon | Events, seasons, changes |
| about to happen | Plain-language alternative | Going to happen very soon | General conversation |
| brewing | Contextual alternative | Developing, often with trouble likely to follow | Conflict, crisis, trouble |
| threatening | Contextual alternative | Suggesting danger is likely | Storms, danger, disaster |
| menacing | Contextual alternative | Creating a sense of danger | Threats, weather, situations |
Not every word in this table is a perfect substitute. That distinction matters. Cambridge lists imminent as a synonym of impending, while its thesaurus also includes words such as approaching, coming, near, oncoming, forthcoming, looming, and threatening.
What Does “Impending” Mean?
Impending is an adjective meaning that something is going to happen very soon. It is usually placed before a noun and is especially common when the approaching event is unpleasant, serious, threatening, or significant.
Examples include:
- an impending disaster
- an impending crisis
- an impending deadline
- an impending storm
- an impending retirement
- an impending change
Oxford describes impending as something, usually an unpleasant event, that is going to happen very soon. Cambridge gives a similar definition and notes its frequent association with unwanted events.
Merriam-Webster gives the broader definition “occurring or likely to occur soon,” which explains why impending can also be used for neutral events such as an impending celebration or retirement.
Pronunciation
US: /ɪmˈpen.dɪŋ/
UK: /ɪmˈpen.dɪŋ/
1. Imminent
Imminent is the closest and most versatile synonym for impending.
It means something is likely to happen very soon, often with a sense that it is almost upon us. Like impending, it is particularly common with danger, threats, disasters, and other serious events.
Examples:
- The government warned of impending economic problems.
- The government warned of imminent economic problems.
Both sentences work naturally.
Best use
Choose imminent when you want to emphasize that an event is extremely close in time.
An attack appeared imminent.
Oxford specifically identifies imminent as a synonym of impending.
2. Approaching
Approaching emphasizes something moving closer in time, distance, or sequence.
It is especially natural with:
- deadlines
- storms
- holidays
- dates
- events
- seasons
Example:
With the approaching deadline, the team worked late every night.
Compared with impending, approaching is generally more neutral. It does not inherently suggest that the event is threatening or unwanted.
Impending storm sounds more ominous than approaching storm.
3. Nearing
Nearing means getting close to a particular point in time or stage.
It works especially well when the sentence focuses on the passage of time.
The company is nearing its deadline.
As the election date is nearing, candidates are increasing their campaigning.
It is less interchangeable with impending because nearing commonly functions as a verb form, whereas impending is normally an adjective placed before a noun.
4. Looming
Looming is one of the most useful alternatives when the approaching event seems threatening, serious, or difficult to avoid.
Compare:
An impending crisis worried investors.
A looming crisis worried investors.
The second version creates a stronger sense that the crisis is hanging over the situation.
Common combinations include:
- looming crisis
- looming disaster
- looming deadline
- looming threat
- looming problem
- looming recession
Looming is therefore a particularly strong contextual synonym for impending when the event has a negative or threatening character.
5. Coming
Coming is a broad, everyday alternative meaning that something is going to happen or arrive.
The coming changes will affect the entire organization.
We prepared for the coming storm.
It is more conversational and less formal than impending.
It also lacks much of the ominous feeling that impending can carry.
6. Upcoming
Upcoming means scheduled, expected, or likely to happen soon. It is especially common for neutral or positive events.
Natural examples include:
- upcoming meeting
- upcoming election
- upcoming event
- upcoming vacation
- upcoming release
- upcoming conference
We discussed the upcoming conference.
Using impending here would sound unnecessarily serious:
We discussed the impending conference.
The sentence is grammatically possible, but upcoming is much more natural if the conference is simply a future event.
Merriam-Webster defines upcoming as happening or appearing soon, while Oxford gives examples involving elections and albums.
7. Forthcoming
Forthcoming can describe something expected or scheduled to happen soon. It is somewhat more formal than upcoming.
The company announced changes in its forthcoming report.
The minister discussed the forthcoming reforms.
It can overlap with impending, but the tone is different. Forthcoming does not normally carry the same ominous feeling.
Use it when the focus is on something expected, planned, announced, or about to become available.
8. Oncoming
Oncoming means moving or coming toward someone or something.
It is particularly natural with physical movement:
- oncoming traffic
- oncoming vehicle
- oncoming storm
- oncoming train
He narrowly avoided an oncoming vehicle.
Although oncoming appears in thesaurus lists for impending, it should not be treated as a universal replacement. Its physical or directional meaning makes it inappropriate in many abstract contexts. Cambridge includes oncoming among words related to impending.
9. At Hand
At hand is a useful phrase meaning very near or about to happen.
The deadline is at hand.
With the examination at hand, students began reviewing their notes.
It can often replace impending when the emphasis is on nearness rather than danger.
However, it is not a direct grammatical replacement in every sentence:
an impending deadline
works differently from:
a deadline at hand
10. Around the Corner
Around the corner is an informal expression meaning that something is likely to happen soon.
Summer is just around the corner.
The holiday season is around the corner.
This phrase is much more conversational than impending and is generally inappropriate when you need a formal or serious tone.
Which Word Should You Use?
The best synonym depends on what you want to communicate.
Choose “imminent” when:
The event is extremely close and you want the closest general replacement.
An imminent attack forced the authorities to act.
Choose “looming” when:
The approaching event feels threatening or problematic.
The company faced a looming financial crisis.
Choose “approaching” when:
You simply want to emphasize that something is getting closer.
The approaching storm caused traffic delays.
Choose “upcoming” when:
The event is scheduled or expected and is not necessarily negative.
We are preparing for the upcoming conference.
Choose “forthcoming” when:
You want a somewhat formal word for an expected or scheduled event.
The forthcoming report will contain new recommendations.
Choose “nearing” when:
You are emphasizing that a point in time is getting closer.
The project is nearing completion.
Choose “coming” when:
You want a simple, natural, everyday expression.
The coming changes may affect everyone.
Impending vs. Imminent
These two words overlap heavily, and imminent is generally the closest synonym for impending. Both can describe something that will happen very soon and both frequently occur with serious or unpleasant events.
| Impending | Imminent |
| About to happen soon | About to happen very soon |
| Often suggests an approaching event | Often emphasizes extreme nearness |
| Frequently used for serious events | Frequently used for serious or dangerous events |
| Usually before a noun | Can occur before a noun or after a linking verb |
Compare:
The impending crisis worried investors.
The crisis was imminent.
The words can overlap, but the grammatical structure is not always identical.
Impending vs. Upcoming
The biggest difference is connotation.
Impending often creates a sense of seriousness or concern:
The workers feared the impending layoffs.
Upcoming is neutral:
We discussed the upcoming meeting.
You would normally choose upcoming for ordinary future events and impending when the event feels significant, urgent, unwanted, or threatening.
Impending vs. Looming
Both can describe something approaching, especially something negative.
Impending focuses primarily on the fact that something is going to happen soon.
Looming adds a stronger sense that the event is threatening, burdensome, or difficult to escape.
An impending deadline approached.
A looming deadline hung over the team.
The second sentence has a stronger psychological sense of pressure.
Common Collocations With “Impending”
Some of the most natural combinations include:
- impending danger
- impending disaster
- impending doom
- impending crisis
- impending storm
- impending death
- impending conflict
- impending deadline
- impending change
- impending retirement
- impending arrival
- impending loss
- impending election
- impending attack
Oxford’s collocation information includes combinations such as impending arrival, impending catastrophe, and impending conflict. Collins also lists combinations including impending birth, impending election, and impending loss.
Common Mistakes When Choosing a Synonym
1. Treating “pending” as a perfect synonym
Pending means something is awaiting a decision, action, resolution, or completion.
The application is pending approval.
It does not simply mean “about to happen.”
2. Using “upcoming” for a threatening event
Upcoming can describe a threatening event, but it usually sounds more neutral.
the upcoming election
is natural.
For a serious threat:
the impending disaster
is much more idiomatic.
3. Using “oncoming” for every future event
Oncoming generally suggests movement toward something.
oncoming traffic
is natural.
oncoming retirement
is not a normal replacement for impending retirement.
4. Assuming every thesaurus entry is interchangeable
Words such as looming, threatening, and menacing add meanings that impending does not necessarily contain. A synonym should be selected according to meaning, context, register, and connotation, not simply because it appears in a thesaurus.
Antonyms of Impending
The opposite of impending depends on the intended meaning.
Useful contrasting words include:
- past — already happened
- completed — already finished
- distant — far away in time
- unlikely — not expected to happen
- remote — unlikely or far away
- avoided — prevented from happening
For example:
an impending crisis
contrasts naturally with:
an averted crisis
when the crisis was prevented from occurring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the closest synonym for impending?
Imminent is generally the closest synonym for impending. Both describe something that is going to happen very soon, and both are frequently used for serious or unpleasant events. Cambridge and Oxford explicitly identify imminent as a synonym of impending.
Is “upcoming” a synonym for impending?
Upcoming can be a contextual synonym, but it is not identical in tone. Upcoming is generally neutral and works well for scheduled events, meetings, elections, and releases. Impending more often suggests urgency, seriousness, or an approaching unwanted event.
Is “looming” the same as “impending”?
Not exactly. Both can describe something approaching, but looming usually adds a sense of threat, pressure, or importance. An impending event may simply be near, while a looming event often seems to hang over the situation.
What is a formal synonym for impending?
Imminent is the strongest general formal alternative. Forthcoming can also work for scheduled or expected events, although it does not carry the same sense of urgency or threat.
What is another word for impending danger?
Depending on context, good alternatives include imminent danger, approaching danger, looming danger, and immediate danger. Imminent danger is usually the most natural choice when emphasizing that danger is likely to occur very soon.
What is another word for impending disaster?
The most natural alternatives are imminent disaster and looming disaster. Imminent emphasizes extreme nearness, while looming emphasizes the threatening presence of the disaster.
Can “approaching” replace “impending”?
Often, yes. Approaching is particularly useful when something is getting closer in time, such as an approaching storm or deadline. It is more neutral than impending and does not necessarily suggest something unwanted.
Final Takeaway
The best synonym for impending is usually imminent, but the right choice depends on context. Use looming when an approaching event feels threatening, approaching or nearing when you want to emphasize increasing closeness, and upcoming or forthcoming for neutral or scheduled events.
