urge incontinence

noun

: involuntary leakage of urine from the bladder when a sudden strong need to urinate is felt compare stress incontinence

Examples of urge incontinence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And urge incontinence can be especially tricky to prevent because doctors don’t know exactly what drives the bladder and nerve changes underlying it, Dr. Krishnan says. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 7 Apr. 2026

Summary The five major types of urinary incontinence are stress incontinence, urge incontinence, mixed incontinence, overflow incontinence, and functional incontinence. —Jamin Brahmbhatt, Verywell Health, 29 July 2024

This is different from another common type known as urge incontinence or urgency incontinence. —Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 3 Oct. 2022

Your risk is also higher if a close family member has urinary incontinence, especially urge incontinence, per the Mayo Clinic. —Jessica Migala, Health.com, 22 Feb. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for urge incontinence

• continence

Medical Definition

urge incontinence

noun

ˈərj- 

: involuntary leakage of urine from the bladder when a sudden strong need to urinate is felt

Urge incontinence, the involuntary urine loss associated with a strong sensation to void, is especially common among older women and is usually associated with detrusor instability or reduced bladder capacity.

—Kathryn L. Burgio et al., The Journal of the American Medical Association

compare stress incontinence