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pending and impending

Pending and Impending

Pending and impending are close in meaning. Most Thesauruses will offer one as a synonym for the other, but they're not the same. Whilst confusing these words does not constitute a grammatical howler, you might portray yourself as a muddled thinker if you use the wrong one.

Pending

The adjective pending means awaiting an outcome (e.g., a decision, a settlement, a conclusion, or a confirmation). For example:

• There are four pending issues.
• The test results are pending.
• This business is pending.
• Good luck with the pending litigation.

Pending can also be used as a preposition:

• He was released on bail pending an appeal.
• Her trial is suspended pending further evidence.

Impending

The adjective impending means imminent or about to happen. It often carries a negative connotation (i.e., the imminent event will be bad). For example:

• They waited for the impending storm.
• Their impending demise ought to have been avoided.
• The battle is impending.

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