Sound-alike words
Eminent vs. Imminent
Eminent means famous, respected and important in a field. Imminent means about to happen very soon. An eminent scientist gives a lecture; an imminent storm is only minutes away.
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| eminent | adjective | famous and highly respected, especially in a profession or field of study |
| imminent | adjective | likely to happen very soon, often used of something unwelcome |
Eminent
adjective: famous and highly respected, especially in a profession or field of study
- An eminent heart surgeon spoke at the graduation.
- The library hosted an eminent historian for a weekend lecture.
Imminent
adjective: likely to happen very soon, often used of something unwelcome
- Dark clouds warned that rain was imminent.
- With the deadline imminent, the team worked late every night.
How to remember the difference
Imminent has a double m, like a moment that's coming in a minute. Eminent starts with e, like esteemed and expert.
Good to know
A third word, immanent, means existing within something and appears mostly in philosophy. In US law, eminent domain is the government's power to take private land for public use, with payment to the owner.
Spot the mistake
The weather service says a hard frost is
eminentimminent tonight.Correct: The weather service says a hard frost is imminent tonight.
Check yourself
Pick the word that fits each sentence.
1. Her career in medicine spanned forty years and many awards.
Answer: eminent. The word describes someone famous and respected in a field, so eminent fits.
2. The players could tell from the referee's face that a penalty was .
Answer: imminent. The penalty is about to happen very soon, so imminent fits.