urgent

adjective

ur·​gent ˈər-jənt How to pronounce urgent (audio)
Synonyms of urgentnext
1
a
: calling for immediate attention : pressing
urgent appeals
an urgent need
b
: conveying a sense of urgency
2
: urging insistently : importunate
urgently adverb

Synonyms

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Examples of urgent in a Sentence

We've come to deliver an urgent message. an urgent appeal for assistance He addressed us in an urgent manner. An urgent voice came over the intercom, telling us to leave the building immediately.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His casual snapshots have now become a visual cornerstone of an exhibition that combines intimate family history with urgent environmental commentary. — Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025 Between 19 million and 23 million tons of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems annually, which could jump 50% by 2040 without urgent action, according to the UN. — Jennifer McDermott, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025 Throughout July, Arizonans and Arizona-lovers watched, helpless and dismayed, as the Dragon Bravo Fire surged beyond control, torched beloved landscapes and structures at the Grand Canyon's North Rim, and just kept going — defying urgent prayers and on-the-ground efforts to contain it. — Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 4 Aug. 2025 The problem is being made more urgent by climate change, which is causing more severe and more frequent droughts, according to researchers. — Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for urgent

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin urgent-, urgens, present participle of urgēre

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of urgent was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing urgent

Rhymes for urgent

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Browse Nearby Words

urgency
urgent
urgent care
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Cite this Entry

“Urgent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/urgent. Accessed 14 Aug. 2025.

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Kids Definition

urgent

adjective
ur·​gent ˈər-jənt How to pronounce urgent (audio)
1
a
: calling for immediate attention : pressing
an urgent need for food
b
: indicating an urgent desire or need
an urgent manner
2
: urging very earnestly
urgently adverb

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