emergency

noun

emer·​gen·​cy i-ˈmər-jən(t)-sē 

plural emergencies

often attributive

1

: an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls for immediate action

2

: an urgent need for assistance or relief

the mayor declared a state of emergency after the flood

Synonyms of emergency

• crisis

Choose the Right Synonym for emergency

juncture, exigency, emergency, contingency, pinch, strait (or straits) crisis mean a critical or crucial time or state of affairs.

juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events.

an important juncture in our country's history

exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation.

provide for exigencies

emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster.

the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies

contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence.

contingency plans

pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency.

come through in a pinch

strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult.

in dire straits

crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference.

a crisis of confidence

Examples of emergency in a Sentence

Her quick thinking in an emergency saved the baby's life.

an alert, quick-thinking girl who is good to have around in an emergency

Recent Examples on the Web

Mohammadi suffered multiple heart attacks while imprisoned before undergoing emergency surgery in 2022, her supporters say. —CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026

The vision for this program is that it be used in an emergency or tragedy, Jungmann said, using an apartment fire as an example. —Mars King, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026

Texas appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court’s emergency docket, with the high court ruling 6-3 in December 2025 to allow the Lone Star State to use the new congressional map for the 2026 elections. —Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 8 Feb. 2026

In Connecticut and across New England, where talk of electricity tends to turn on highest-in-the-nation rates, the potential cold weather energy emergency faced by customers elsewhere was averted, but that success comes with a warning. —Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1631, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing emergency

• emergency brake
• emergency contraception
• emergency medical technician
• emergency medicine
• emergency room
• emergency use authorization

Rhymes for emergency

• insurgency
• counterinsurgency
• nonemergency
• urgency

Kids Definition

emergency

noun

emer·​gen·​cy i-ˈmər-jən-sē 

plural emergencies

1

: an unexpected situation that calls for immediate action

2

: an urgent need for help

a state of emergency

Medical Definition

emergency

noun

emer·​gen·​cy i-ˈmər-jən-sē 

plural emergencies

: an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls for immediate action: as

a

: a sudden bodily alteration (as a ruptured appendix or surgical shock) such as is likely to require immediate medical attention

b

: a usually distressing event or condition that can often be anticipated or prepared for but seldom exactly foreseen

Legal Definition

emergency

noun

emer·​gen·​cy

plural emergencies

1

: an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls for immediate action

2

: an urgent need for assistance or relief

a state of emergency