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Imminence: meaning, definitions and examples

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imminence

 

[ ˈɪmɪnəns ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

time, urgency

Imminence refers to the state of something being about to happen or impending. It conveys a sense of urgency and the prospect of an event occurring very soon.

Synonyms

approaching, forthcoming, impending, looming, pending

Examples of usage

  • The imminence of the storm forced the event organizers to cancel the outdoor concert.
  • Her health issues added to the imminence of difficult decisions regarding her treatment.
  • The imminence of the deadline made the team work harder to complete the project on time.

Translations

Translations of the word "imminence" in other languages:

🇵🇹 imediata

🇮🇳 तत्कालता

🇩🇪 Unmittelbarkeit

🇮🇩 kedekatan

🇺🇦 наближення

🇵🇱 bliskość

🇯🇵 差し迫った

🇫🇷 imminence

🇪🇸 inmediación

🇹🇷 yakınlık

🇰🇷 긴박함

🇸🇦 الاقتراب

🇨🇿 blízkost

🇸🇰 blízkosť

🇨🇳 迫近

🇸🇮 bližina

🇮🇸 nálægð

🇰🇿 жақындық

🇬🇪 მახლობლობა

🇦🇿 yaxınlıq

🇲🇽 inmediación

Etymology

The word 'imminence' derives from the Latin 'imminentia', which comes from 'imminens', the present participle of 'imminere', meaning 'to hang over' or 'to threaten'. This etymology reflects the idea of something that is looming close at hand. It was adopted into Middle French as 'imminence' before entering English in the late 15th century. The use of the term has evolved, yet it continues to convey the urgent nature of impending events. Today, 'imminence' is commonly used in various contexts, including weather forecasts, medical situations, and general discussions about forthcoming events.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #26,630, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.