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GRE vocabulary

loom

verbHigh-frequency wordMore L words

to appear as a large, threatening shape or to seem about to happen in an intimidating way

In a sentence

Loom in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing loom in a sentence.

The deadline loomed over the team, increasing everyone's anxiety.

As deadlines for the grant renewal loomed, the laboratory's unfinished experiments became a source of mounting anxiety.

Synonyms
hoverthreatenimpend
Antonyms
recedediminishfade
Usage & nuance

Using “loom” well

Loom conveys that something large or threatening is approaching or about to happen, often producing dread. The looming thing may be physical, as a shape in fog, or abstract, as a deadline.

Common questions

Questions about “loom

Loom (verb) means to appear as a large, threatening shape or to seem about to happen in an intimidating way
Here is loom used in an example sentence: "The deadline loomed over the team, increasing everyone's anxiety." Another example: "As deadlines for the grant renewal loomed, the laboratory's unfinished experiments became a source of mounting anxiety."
Common synonyms for loom include hover, threaten, impend.
Antonyms of loom include recede, diminish, fade.
In this sense loom clusters with hover, threaten, and impend. Its antonyms recede, diminish, and fade describe a threat receding rather than approaching.
Yes. Loom is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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