Word
imminent
Imminent means likely to happen very soon.
Meanings
likely to happen very soon; approaching
about to occur in a way that seems unavoidable, often seen as a threat or danger
Definition
If something is imminent, it is expected to occur in the near future, often within minutes, hours, or days. The word is commonly used for events that feel unavoidable or already beginning. It often appears in news, warnings, and formal writing to show urgency.
Examples
- I left early because the departure announcement made the delay seem imminent.
- You can sense the tension when a difficult decision is imminent.
- He sounded calm, even though a major system outage was imminent.
- She tightened the ropes after noticing signs that a sudden squall was imminent.
Common mistake
Learners often use "imminent" for events far in the future, but it should describe something expected very soon.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.