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Eminent vs Imminent

Definitions​

  • ‘Eminent’ (adj) is used to describe someone or something that is noticeably good or famous.
  • ‘Imminent’ (adj) is used to describe something that is very close to happening.

What’s the difference between ‘eminent’ and imminent’?​

Because they look and sound similar, these two adjectives can be easily confused. But they have very different meanings (as defined above).

One tip to distinguish them is that ‘eminent’ often relates to people, while ‘imminent’ usually relates to events.

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How they’re used​

Example sentences with ‘eminent’

  • She was an eminent scholar in the field of Social Anthropology.
  • We discuss a collection of works by eminent writers of the 20th century.

Example sentences with ‘imminent’

  • We investigate the impact of imminent job loss on anxiety levels.
  • Predictors of imminent violence in psychiatric inpatients are discussed.