Eminent means distinguished or highly respected. Imminent means expected to happen very soon.
Decide whether you mean status or timing
- Eminent. An eminent botanist spoke at the garden’s anniversary. The botanist is respected in the field.
- Imminent. The doors were closing, and the start of the talk was imminent. The talk was about to begin.
Use the noun as a clue
A phrase like eminent scholar describes someone’s standing. A phrase like imminent arrival tells you when something is expected. The event can be welcome, routine, or worrying.
Both words are adjectives. See Climactic vs. Climatic for another pair of adjectives whose spelling depends on the idea you mean.
