loom

7 definitions • 9 examples

to appear as a large, often frightening or unclear shape or object:

Dark storm clouds loomed on the horizon.

If an unwanted or unpleasant event looms, it seems likely to happen soon and causes worry:

Her final exams are looming.

Here, too, the threat of unemployment has been looming on the horizon.

The threat of closure looms over the workforce.

a piece of equipment for weaving (= making thread into cloth)

to appear, esp. when seeming large and threatening:

Record budget deficits, now running well above $200 billion a year, loom over the recovery.

a piece of equipment on which thread is woven into cloth

if an unpleasant event looms, it will probably happen and makes people worry:

Stocks of heating oil are at their lowest levels for years, and another crisis may be looming.

The company is in serious financial trouble, with more debt looming on the horizon.

sth looms over sb/sth The threat of closure looms over the workforce.

if something looms large, it becomes very important and could cause serious problems:

Food retailers became nervous as the threat of a price war loomed large.