んばかりに

んばかりに expresses an extreme degree or intensity that makes something seem almost like a particular action or situation about to occur. It conveys a vivid impression that something is so close to happening that the speaker treats it as if it actually were about to happen. It often adds a sense of drama or exaggeration. The construction typically attaches to the dictionary form of a verb (Vる), the negative form (Vない), or to adjectives with the respective nominalized endings (〜の). Use it to describe reactions, consequences, or actions that are almost, but not quite, at the verge of occurring. The nuance is similar to “as if … were about to” or “to the point of almost ….” Example sentences give the sense of immediacy and dramatic anticipation. For instance, 泣くんばかりに泣き叫ぶ could be interpreted as “as if about to cry, she cried out loudly,” highlighting an action that seems imminent and intense. Another example: 雨が降るんばかりに空が暗くなってきた means “the sky grew dark as if it were about to rain.” Note that this pattern tends to appear in written or formal narrative and can sound archaic or literary in casual speech.