incombente

looming

adjective een-kohm-BEN-teh Rare

Also means

imminent

Usage Note

Incombente comes from the verb incombere (to loom over, to be incumbent upon) and is used to describe a threat or event that hangs over something menacingly: un pericolo incombente (a looming danger). It is invariable for gender (same form for masculine and feminine), changing only in the plural: incombenti. It is more literary than imminente.

Examples

"C'era una minaccia incombente all'orizzonte."

Natural Translation

There was a looming threat on the horizon.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Italian Adjective Agreement & Placement Made Simple

Italian adjectives agree in gender and number and usually sit after the noun. Master the -o/-a/-i/-e endings, the BAGS rule, and meaning-shifting pairs.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

How to Order Coffee in Italy Like a Local

Order coffee in Italy like a local: say un caffè (not espresso), pay at the cassa first, drink al banco, and skip the latte trap. Phrases inside.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Articles: Il, Lo, La, I, Gli, Le Explained

Italian has seven words for 'the' — il, lo, la, i, gli, le — but it's two questions, not seven cases. Master gender, sound, and the lo/gli rule fast.

June 5, 2026 7 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Hand Gestures: Meanings & When to Use

Italian hand gestures decoded: what the pinched fingers, cheek screw, and chin flick mean, which ones are safe to use, and the one gesture to never make.

June 5, 2026 6 min read