Word Study
imminent
CIDE DICTIONARY
imminent, a. [L. imminens, p. pr. of imminere to project; pref. im- in + minere (in comp.) to jut, project. See Eminent.].
- Threatening to occur immediately; near at hand; impending; -- said especially of misfortune or peril. Spenser. [1913 Webster]
- Full of danger; threatening; menacing; perilous. [1913 Webster]"Hairbreadth scapes i' the imminent deadly breach." [1913 Webster]
- (With upon) Bent upon; attentive to. [1913 Webster]"Their eyes ever imminent upon worldly matters.""Three times to-day
You have defended me from imminent death." [1913 Webster]"No story I unfold of public woes,
Nor bear advices of impending foes." [1913 Webster]"Fierce faces threatening war." [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- Impending; threatening; near; at hand.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
imminent, adj.
1 (of an event, esp. danger) impending; about to happen.
2 archaic overhanging.
1 (of an event, esp. danger) impending; about to happen.
2 archaic overhanging.
Derivative
imminence n. imminently adv.
Etymology
L imminere imminent- overhang, project
THESAURUS
imminent
about to be, abusive, advancing, alarming, already in sight, anticipated, approaching, approximate, approximative, at hand, attracted to, awaited, bludgeoning, blustering, brewing, browbeating, bulldozing, bullying, close, close at hand, coming, comminatory, denunciatory, desired, destinal, destined, determined, drawn to, due, emergent, eventual, expected, extrapolated, fatal, fated, fatidic, fear-inspiring, foreboding, foreseen, forthcoming, future, futuristic, gathering, going to happen, hectoring, hereafter, hoped-for, immediate, impendent, impending, in danger imminent, in prospect, in reserve, in store, in the cards, in the offing, in the wind, in view, ineluctable, inescapable, inevasible, inevitable, instant, intimidating, later, likely, long-expected, looming, lowering, lurking, menacing, minacious, minatory, momentary, near, near at hand, nearing, nigh, ominous, on the horizon, oncoming, overdue, overhanging, pending, planned, plotted, possible, predicted, preparing, presumed, probable, projected, promised, prophesied, prospective, proximate, sinister, terroristic, terrorizing, that will be, threatening, threatful, to come, to-be, ultimate, unavoidable, upcoming, waitingROGET THESAURUS
imminent
Destiny
N destiny, future existence, post existence, hereafter, future state, next world, world to come, after life, futurity, everlasting life, everlasting death, life beyond the grave, world beyond the grave, prospect, impending, destined, about to be, happen, coming, in store, to come, going to happen, instant, at hand, near, near, close at hand, over hanging, hanging over one's head, imminent, brewing, preparing, forthcoming, int he wind, on the cards, in reserve, that will, is to be, in prospect, looming in the distance, horizon, future, unborn, in embryo, int he womb of time, futurity, pregnant, in time, the long run, all in good time, eventually, whatever may happen, as chance would have it.Approach
N approach, approximation, appropinquation, access, appulse, afflux, affluxion, advent, pursuit, approaching, approximative, affluent, impending, imminent, on the road, Int, come hither!, approach!, here!, come!, come near!, forward!.For further exploring for "imminent" in Webster Dictionary Online