emergent

1 of 2

adjective

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

emergent

2 of 2

noun

1

: something emergent

2

a

: a tree that rises above the surrounding forest

b

: an emergent plant

Synonyms of emergent

Adjective

• urgent
• acute

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

Adjective

Living the Dream excels at emergent storytelling and humor. —Jason Bennett, Arkansas Online, 24 May 2026

Treat annual grass weeds with pre-emergent herbicides in late winter or early spring. —Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 23 May 2026

Noun

Large language models and multi-agent trading systems learn continuously, exchange latent signals, and exhibit emergent behavior. —Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2026

The middle-generation experience, the bidirectional mourning that comes of being split between the vanishing and the emergent, preoccupies Transcription. —Nicholas Dames, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin emergent-, emergens, present participle of emergere

First Known Use

Adjective

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Noun

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing emergent

• emergent evolution

Rhymes for emergent

• convergent
• detergent
• divergent
• insurgent
• resurgent
• urgent

Medical Definition

emergent

adjective

emer·​gent i-ˈmər-jənt 

: calling for prompt or urgent action

an emergent condition in a hemophiliac