emer·gent
i-ˈmər-jənt 
1
a
: arising unexpectedly
b
: calling for prompt action : urgent
emergent danger
2
a
: rising out of or as if out of a fluid
emergent coastal islands
b
: rooted in shallow water and having most of its vegetative growth above water
an emergent plant
3
: arising as a natural or logical consequence
4
: newly formed or prominent
emergent nations
1
: something emergent
2
a
: a tree that rises above the surrounding forest
b
: an emergent plant
Examples of emergent in a Sentence
Adjective
since the problem was not seen as emergent, implementation of the expensive solution for it was continually put off
Recent Examples on the Web
New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2025
The district serves approximately 22,000 emergent bilingual students whose families speak more than 100 languages, including Spanish, Pashto, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Arabic.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
In the Austin district, 50.2% of students are categorized as economically disadvantaged — a lower rate than most urban districts in Texas — and 31.4% are emergent bilingual, according to TEA data.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for emergent
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Adjective
The implications of this rare blood type extend beyond emergent transfusion needs.
—New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2025
The district serves approximately 22,000 emergent bilingual students whose families speak more than 100 languages, including Spanish, Pashto, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Arabic.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Noun
One of technology's most buzzworthy emergent fields, quantum computing, was a top conversation for IBM CEO Arvind Krishna's keynote at SXSW on Tuesday afternoon.
—Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
In the Austin district, 50.2% of students are categorized as economically disadvantaged — a lower rate than most urban districts in Texas — and 31.4% are emergent bilingual, according to TEA data.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for emergent
Cite this Entry
“Emergent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emergent. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
emergent
adjective
emer·gent
i-ˈmər-jənt
: calling for prompt or urgent action
an emergent condition in a hemophiliac
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