Imminent — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈi-mə-nənt/ im·mi·nent

Meaning & Definition of Imminent

Imminent (adjective)

  1. ready to take place, happening soon —often used of something bad or dangerous seen as menacingly near

Imminent (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. giving signs of immediate occurrence

    "a storm is imminent, so you should seek shelter now"

    similar: impending, looming, pending, threatening, around the corner
    related: approaching, coming, forthcoming, future, near, nearing, oncoming, upcoming, brewing, gathering, likely, possible, probable, inevitable, unavoidable, apocalyptic, lowering, menacing, ominous, portentous, anticipated, awaited, expected, foreseen, predicted
    near: distant, far-off, remote, eventual, ultimate, bygone, former, past, late, recent

  2. being soon to appear or take place

    "an imminent development that should radically transform how we treat the disease"

    similar: approaching, coming, forthcoming, impending, nearing, oncoming, pending, proximate, upcoming, at hand, on hand, on tap, to come
    related: future, anticipated, awaited, expected, foreseen, predicted
    opposite: late, recent
    near: bygone, erstwhile, foregone, former, old, onetime, other, past, quondam, sometime, whilom

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Imminent

The most common words with a similar meaning to Imminent:

impending, looming, pending, threatening, approaching, coming, forthcoming, nearing, oncoming, proximate, upcoming, around the corner, at hand, on hand, on tap, to come

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Imminent

Words with the opposite meaning of Imminent:

late, recent

Related Words for Imminent

future, near, brewing, gathering, likely, possible, probable, inevitable, unavoidable, apocalyptic, lowering, menacing, ominous, portentous, anticipated, awaited, expected, foreseen, predicted

Near Antonyms of Imminent

distant, far-off, remote, eventual, ultimate, bygone, former, past, erstwhile, foregone, old, onetime, other, quondam, sometime, whilom

Word Forms of Imminent

Derived words: imminently (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Imminent

Middle English imynent, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French iminent, emynant, borrowed from Latin imminent-, imminens, present participle of imminēre "to rise up, project so as to overhang (of a structure or natural feature), be intent, impend (of something unpleasant or dangerous), threaten," from im- im- + -minēre, taken to mean "stand out, rise above" (unattested without a prefix) minatory

First known use: 1528

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Imminent

Frequently Asked Questions about Imminent

What does "Imminent" mean?

"Imminent" means ready to take place, happening soon —often used of something bad or dangerous seen as menacingly near. As an adjective, it is defined as: ready to take place, happening soon —often used of something bad or dangerous seen as menacingly near. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Imminent"?

Other words for "Imminent" include impending, looming, pending, threatening, approaching, coming, forthcoming and nearing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Imminent" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Imminent"?

There are 35 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Imminent". Common alternatives include impending, looming, pending, threatening, approaching, coming, forthcoming, nearing, oncoming and proximate.

What is the opposite of "Imminent"?

Antonyms of "Imminent" include late and recent. Near antonyms include distant, far-off, remote and eventual.

How do you use "Imminent" in a sentence?

Examples of "Imminent" in a sentence: "a storm is imminent, so you should seek shelter now"; "an imminent development that should radically transform how we treat the disease".

Is "Imminent" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Imminent" is an adjective.

Is "Imminent" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Imminent" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Imminent"?

"Imminent" is pronounced /ˈi-mə-nənt/ and divided into syllables as im·mi·nent.