oncoming

adjective

on·​com·​ing ˈȯn-ˌkə-miŋ 

ˈän-

1

a

: coming nearer in time or space

the oncoming year

an oncoming car

b

: future

looked forward to his oncoming visit

2

: emergent, rising

the oncoming generation

Synonyms

• upcoming
• approaching
• impending
• coming

Examples of oncoming in a Sentence

we're looking forward to your oncoming visit

Recent Examples on the Web

As the play starts, the Bills look perfectly set up to contain the oncoming Henry run. —Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025

The northbound 2020 Harley-Davidson veered into oncoming traffic near Harrison Oak Lake Lane and collided with an oncoming 2021 Toyota 4Runner, fatally injuring Trevino, the California Highway Patrol reported. —City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025

If a little girl runs into the street in front of an oncoming autonomous vehicle, the car’s artificial intelligence systems have a fraction of a second to make the calculations necessary to avoid a tragedy. —Srinivas Shekar, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

While traveling with a driver and bodyguard, their car, pursued by paparazzi, crashed into a support column, flipped and landed in front of oncoming traffic. —Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for oncoming

• becoming
• forthcoming
• homecoming
• incoming
• shortcoming
• succumbing
• upcoming
• coming
• cumming
• drumming
• gumming
• humming

Kids Definition

oncoming

adjective

on·​com·​ing ˈȯn-ˌkəm-iŋ 

ˈän-

: coming nearer

oncoming traffic