impend

American  

[im-pend] / ɪmˈpɛnd /

verb (used without object)

1. to be imminent; be about to happen.

2. to threaten or menace.

   He felt that danger impended.

3. Archaic. to hang or be suspended; overhang (usually followed byover ).

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impend British  

/ ɪmˈpɛnd /

verb

1. (esp of something threatening) to be about to happen; be imminent

2. rare (foll by over) to be suspended; hang

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Other Word Forms

• impendence noun
• superimpend verb (used without object)

Etymology

Origin of impend

First recorded in 1580–90, impend is from the Latin word impendēre to hang over, threaten. See im- ¹, pend

Example Sentences

His only hope was that her impending wrath would not last long.

From Literature

A Jeremiah figure among millennial and Gen X parents for his warnings of impending social media doom and ruin, Haidt didn’t mince words when forecasting the impact of the recent court cases.

From Los Angeles Times

What does that title mean to you as it relates to the impending doom of what we’re all living right now.

From Los Angeles Times

Kudrow’s comedy and the film – a real doc, not a mockumentary – take different approaches to grasping the fear and possibility of AI’s impending takeover.

From Salon

The world, meanwhile, “still appears to be underestimating the impending supply shortages and higher fuel prices” that will cause.

From MarketWatch