Definition

1. Verb:
   • To be about to happen; to be imminent: "Impend" describes a situation or event that is going to occur very soon, often creating a sense of anticipation or threat.
   • To hang or be suspended over something (archaic/literary): In a more literal or figurative sense, it can mean to hang over or loom, suggesting a threatening presence.

Usage

The verb "impend" is typically used in formal or literary contexts. It often describes negative or significant events that are looming. It is an intransitive verb and is frequently used with the preposition "over" to indicate what is being threatened. It is commonly found in the present participle form "impending" to function as an adjective.

Examples

• Verb:
  • A sense of doom seemed to impend over the entire city.
  • The final deadline for the project is now impending.
  • With the storm clouds gathering, a downpour impended.

Advanced Usage

• "to impend over": to loom over as a threat or imminent event.
  • Economic uncertainty impends over the global markets.
• Used in the present participle "impending" as an adjective: This is the most common usage.
  • We canceled the picnic due to the impending rain.
  • The company issued a statement about the impending merger.

Variants and Related Words

• Impending (adj): about to happen; imminent.
  • The impending arrival of the guests caused a flurry of activity.
• Impendence (n): the state of being about to occur (rare).
• Impendency (n): another term for impendence (rare).

Synonyms

• Loom: to appear as a threatening or large shape; to be about to happen.
• Threaten: to be a sign of something bad or unpleasant that may happen.
• Approach: to come nearer in time.
• Hang over: to be a threat or danger that is present.

Antonyms

• Recede: to move back or away.
• Pass: to go by or be over.
• Subside: to become less intense or severe.

Verb

1. be imminent or about to happen
   • Changes are impending