What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
impend
Example
The storm clouds are dark, and rain seems to impend. [impend: verb]
Example
The sense of doom was palpable as the deadline for the project impended. [impending: adjective]
threaten
Example
The dark alley threatened her with danger. [threatened: verb]
Example
The teacher threatened to give detention if the students didn't stop talking. [threatened: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Threaten is more commonly used in everyday language than impend. Threaten is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while impend is less common and refers to a specific situation where something is likely to happen.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between impend and threaten?
Both impend and threaten can be used in formal and informal contexts. However, impend is generally considered more formal and less commonly used in everyday language.
