exigent
adjective
ˈeg-zə-
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Exigent is a formal word with meanings closely tied to its Latin forbear, exigere, meaning "to demand." Exigent things and people demand attention—for example, an exigent client expects so much that they are hard to satisfy, and exigent circumstances are so significant that they can be used to justify certain police actions without the warrant typically required. Before exigent joined the language in the early 1600s, the noun exigency was being used to refer to something that is necessary in a particular situation—for example, the exigencies of an emergency situation might require that certain usual precautions be ignored. That word dates to the late 1500s, but even earlier, in the mid-1400s, exigence was on the scene doing the same job. All three words—exigent, exigency, and exigence—continue to meet the demands of English users, albeit not frequently in everyday conversation.
Examples of exigent in a Sentence
Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 9 July 2025
But law enforcement can cite exigent circumstances — usually an emergency like a death or serious injury — to bypass getting a warrant in such cases.
—Miami Herald, 3 July 2025
Notably, the exigent circumstances rule does not create a blanket exception for murder scenes that would permit unrestricted searches; entry is only permitted to assist victims or locate an attacker.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 20 June 2025
Law enforcement can cite exigent circumstances — usually an emergency like a death or serious injury — to bypass getting a warrant.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for exigent
Cite this Entry
“Exigent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exigent. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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exigent
adjective
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