2007-11-03 23:35:29 · 5 answers · asked by leah a 1 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
To me, imminent means that it is going to happen real soon, impending means that it's going to happen soon, it's coming up, but not necessarily in the next five minutes or so. Impending, (also) to me, implies something could happen in the meantime to alter the certainty of the event happening, but this is just a personal prejudice.
"the impending trial..." it's coming up in the next two weeks or so, maybe longer. It's booked in but it's not going to be this week.
"The imminent trial..." it's going to be this week, or next, but no longer.
2007-11-03 23:45:24 · answer #1 · answered by =42 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
imminent is going to happen.. nowish, and can relate to anything, whereas impending is not necessarily nowish and often has a dramatic or dark connotation.
2007-11-04 06:44:20 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
impending means it is on the way and can happen anytime.
imminent means it has the potential to happen right away.
hope this helps.
2007-11-04 06:43:43 · answer #3 · answered by frjk 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There isn't one, they mean the same thing.
2007-11-04 06:46:18 · answer #4 · answered by Adam 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
possible and definate
2007-11-04 06:43:45 · answer #5 · answered by strandlock 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋