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adj Common

pending

PEHN-dihng

Pending (adj) means not yet decided or finished; awaiting a result. Example: “The application is still pending approval.”

adj
1
Not yet decided or finished; awaiting a result.
"The application is still pending approval."
"Her promotion is pending until the board meets."
prep
1
While waiting for; until.
"The suspect was released pending trial."

How to Use Pending

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWaiting to be decided, finished, or resolved.

Common pairings
pending approval pending review case pending
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The application is still _____ approval.

Related Words

Rhymes for pending

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does “pending” mean?

The word “pending” means not yet decided or finished; awaiting a result. In plain terms, waiting to be decided, finished, or resolved.

How do you pronounce “pending”?

“Pending” is pronounced PEHN-dihng (/ˈpɛndɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “pending” in a sentence?

Here is “pending” used in a sentence: “The application is still pending approval.”

What is another word for “pending”?

Words with a similar meaning to “pending” include in the offing and proximate.

What part of speech is “pending”?

Depending on how it is used, “pending” can be an adjective and a preposition.

Is “pending” a common word?

“Pending” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “pending” have?

“Pending” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: not yet decided or finished; awaiting a result.

What is the difference between pending and impending?

Pending means not yet decided or finished, awaiting a result: "the case is still pending." Impending means about to happen, often said of something threatening: "an impending storm." Something pending hangs unresolved, while something impending is close at hand.

How is pending used as a preposition?

As a preposition, pending means "while waiting for" or "until": "he was released pending trial" means until the trial takes place. This use is especially common in legal and formal writing.

What is the difference between pending and in progress?

Pending means awaiting a decision or result, and the thing may not have started at all. In progress means actively under way. A pending application is sitting in a queue, while an application in progress is being worked on.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial