Master confusing words with ease
Impending vs. Pending
Impending
Examples:
The dark clouds signal an impending storm.An impending deadline loomed over the students.We felt an impending sense of change in the air.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Pending
Examples:
The merger approval is pending regulatory review.All applications are still pending in our system.His response is pending due to ongoing deliberations.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Impending often conveys a sense of something about to happen soon and is typically associated with negative or worrying events.
- Pending implies that something is waiting for a decision or outcome, without any connotation of urgency or inevitability.
- Remember that impending events seem unavoidable, while pending just need a resolution or completion.
- Use impending if there is a sense of expectation or forewarning.
- Pending can often be substituted with awaiting to check if it fits the sentence.
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