imminent
IM-uh-nuntadjMeaning about to happen, often something bad
Memory hook IM-MIN-ent: IN A MINute!. A huge wave is rolling toward Lila’s sandcastle; it will hit in a minute. The crash is imminent!
With thunder rumbling closer, the lifeguard warned that a storm was imminent.
In context Dark clouds piled up over the hills and the birds went quiet; everyone at the picnic could tell that rain was imminent, so they began packing up.
Similar impending, approaching, near, looming
Opposite distant, remote, far-off
From Latin imminere, “to hang over, to threaten”: in (over) + minere (to jut out).