These two words are occasionally misused, so they’re worth a second look.

Problem:
The words “eminent” and “imminent” are not synonyms.

Explanation:
The primary definition of the adjective “eminent” is prominent or distinguished. For example, an eminent professor would be an appropriate use of the adjective. The primary definition of the adjective “imminent” is likely to occur at any moment. For example, the imminent landfall of the hurricane would be an appropriate use of the adjective.

The challenge with these two words is that they sound fairly alike, especially when speakers are careless with pronunciation. Careless pronunciation by speakers seems to lead to misuse by those listeners who are ignorant that these are two distinct words.

Solution:
Use “eminent” when you want to refer to someone who is distinguished, prominent, or high in repute; use “imminent” when you want to label something as likely to happen at any moment.