Quick answer: Eminent (ending in -ent) means well-respected and distinguished, especially in a profession: an eminent professor. Imminent (ending in -inent) means about to happen very soon: imminent danger. They sound similar but mean completely different things. For a fuller definition, see the Cambridge Dictionary entry for ‘eminent’.
Comparison Table
| Word | Part of Speech | Key Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| eminent | adjective | distinguished, highly respected | an eminent professor |
| imminent | adjective | about to happen soon | imminent danger |
Using Eminent
Eminent describes a person — or sometimes a quality or position — that is highly respected, famous, or distinguished, particularly in a professional or academic context. It comes from the Latin eminere, meaning to stand out or project above.
She is an eminent scientist in her field.
Several eminent scholars attended the conference.
He has had an eminent career in international law.
Eminently — the Adverb Form
The adverb eminently means “to a notable degree” or “in every way”. It is often used to emphasise suitability or quality.
She is eminently qualified for the position.
The solution seemed eminently reasonable to all parties.
Using Imminent
Imminent describes an event that is about to happen very soon, often with a sense of urgency or inevitability. It is not used to describe people — only events, situations, or outcomes.
A storm is imminent — evacuate now.
The project deadline is imminent.
Rescue teams were called in as the collapse of the bridge appeared imminent.
Common Collocations with Imminent
Imminent most frequently appears with nouns relating to danger, change, or events:
- imminent danger / threat
- imminent arrival / departure
- imminent collapse / failure
- imminent decision / announcement
Common Mistakes
✗ He is an imminent professor at Oxford. (imminent = about to happen — professors are not events)
✓ He is an eminent professor at Oxford.
✗ The hikers were in eminent danger. (danger is an event, not a respected person)
✓ The hikers were in imminent danger.
Remember: eminent → think of “eminent domain” (legal term, about respected authority). Imminent → think of “immediately” (happening soon). The extra ‘i’ in imminent signals immediacy.
Tips to Remember the Difference
- Eminent = eminent = someone who stands out, is emblematic of excellence.
- Imminent = imminent = sounds like “in a minute” — about to happen very soon.
- Eminent describes people (or their qualities). Imminent describes events.
- If you can replace the word with “distinguished”, use eminent. If you can replace it with “about to happen”, use imminent.
Also confusing: Accept vs Receive, Advise vs Advice, Already vs Yet. Browse all confusing word pairs →
Quick Check: Eminent or Imminent?
Four fill-in-the-blank questions — choose the correct word for each sentence.
1. “The ___ professor delivered the keynote address.”
2. “A decision is ___; we expect it within hours.”
3. “The museum invited ___ artists from around the world.”
4. “With danger ___, they had to act quickly.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between eminent and imminent?
Eminent means highly distinguished, respected, or prominent, especially in a particular field. Imminent means about to happen very soon. They sound similar but describe completely different concepts: one refers to a person’s status, the other to timing.
How do you remember eminent vs imminent?
A useful trick: eminent contains “emin”, which you can link to “prominent” (famous, standing out). Imminent contains “immin”, which sounds like “in a minute” — something about to happen very soon. The spelling -inent (with an extra ‘i’) signals urgency.
Can eminent describe something other than a person?
Yes. Eminent can describe qualities or positions, not only people. For example: “an eminent career in medicine”, “an eminent position in the organisation”. However, it most commonly refers to people who are highly respected in their profession.
What does imminent mean exactly?
Imminent means likely to happen at any moment; about to occur very soon. It typically carries a sense of urgency or inevitability: “imminent danger”, “imminent arrival”, “an imminent decision”. It is almost always used for events, not people.
Is it correct to say “imminent professor”?
No. “Imminent professor” is a common spelling error. The correct phrase is “eminent professor”, meaning a highly distinguished and respected professor. Imminent refers to timing (something about to happen), not to a person’s status.
What is the noun form of eminent?
The noun form of eminent is eminence, meaning the quality of being famous and respected: “a scientist of great eminence”. The adverb form is eminently, meaning to a notable degree: “She is eminently qualified for the role”.
What is the noun form of imminent?
The noun form of imminent is imminence, meaning the state of being about to happen: “the imminence of the deadline”. The adverb form is imminently, meaning very soon: “The results are expected imminently”.
Are eminent and imminent homophones?
They are near-homophones but not exact homophones. Eminent is pronounced EM-ih-nent, while imminent is pronounced IM-ih-nent. The stressed vowel in the first syllable differs slightly, but they are easy to confuse in speech.
How do eminent and imminent appear in formal writing?
In formal writing, eminent appears in academic and professional contexts: “an eminent scholar”, “an eminent authority on the subject”. Imminent appears in news, legal, and safety contexts: “imminent threat”, “imminent collapse”, “imminent release”. Mixing them up in formal writing is a notable error.
What are some common phrases using eminent and imminent?
Common phrases with eminent: “eminent domain” (legal term for government property rights), “eminent scholar”, “eminent physician”, “eminently reasonable”. Common phrases with imminent: “imminent danger”, “imminent threat”, “imminent arrival”, “imminent collapse”. Notice that eminent phrases relate to people or qualities, while imminent phrases relate to events.