Eminent vs Imminent
Published January 19, 2023. Updated January 19, 2023.
Eminent and imminent are words that sound similar but have very different meanings. While both are adjectives, they describe different situations. Eminent is an adjective that describes someone “famous, prominent, or distinguished within a specific field.” Contrastively, imminent is an adjective that describes “something that is about to happen.”
Here are some definitions and examples sentences to help you determine the differences between each word.
Eminent (adjective)
Famous, prominent, or distinguished within a specific field
Examples:
I was able to secure an eminent guest speaker for the yearly teacher professional development training.
Last week, I was able to get a one-on-one tutoring session with an eminent yoga teacher
Remember that eminent is an adjective that describes someone or something important.
Imminent (adjective)
Something that is about to happen
Examples:
The winter is imminent, so that means that more Christmas decorations will be popping up in stores.
With graduation imminent, you need to start preparing for your future after high school.
Remember that imminent almost always describes a situation or an event that is about to happen.
Main Points
- Eminent is an adjective that describes someone or something prominent in their field
- Imminent is an adjective that describes something forthcoming
- Remember that eminent almost always describes a person, whereas imminent almost always describes a situation that is about to happen