Ablaufender

Ablaufender is a German present participle formed from the verb ablaufen, meaning to run out or expire. In usage it functions as an adjective describing something whose duration, validity, or period is coming to an end. It is common in formal and administrative language to refer to terms, deadlines, licenses, warranties, or products with a limited lifespan.

As an attributive adjective, ablaufender typically precedes a noun and agrees in gender and case: der ablaufende Vertrag, die ablaufende Frist, das ablaufende Angebot. Examples: Der ablaufende Vertrag muss rechtzeitig verlängert werden. Eine ablaufende Frist erfordert zügige Maßnahmen. A noun form is rarely used; the concept is usually expressed with the corresponding noun (Ablauf, Verfall, Ablaufdatum) or with other verbs such as auslaufen.

Ablaufender differs from the verb form auslaufen, which is used intransitively to say that something is expiring or ending on its own: Der Vertrag läuft am Monatsende aus. The participle ablaufender, by contrast, is an attributive construction that characterizes the item as approaching expiry.

In related contexts, ablaufender can be contrasted with terms like Ablaufdatum (expiry date), Verfall (devaluation or expiry), and Auslauf (run-out). These terms are often used in legal, administrative, or commercial documents to specify deadlines, renewal conditions, and the end of validity.

See also: ablaufen, Ablauf, Ablaufdatum, Verfall.