emergent

adjective emer·gent \ i-ˈmər-jənt \

|Updated on: 18 Jun 2018

Examples: emergent in a Sentence

Definition of emergent

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

See emergent defined for English-language learners

Examples of emergent in a Sentence

since it was not seen as an emergent problem, it was continually put off

Recent Examples of emergent from the Web

If such an area has an abundance of water lotus or other emergent aquatic vegetation, so much the better.

— shannon tompkins, Houston Chronicle, "June spawn signals peak in Texas sunfish action," 3 June 2018
The war began in 2001 with a US invasion that overthrew the Taliban regime but never entirely forced out the Taliban or other emergent extremist groups, such as the Islamic State.

— mujib mashal, BostonGlobe.com, "At least 38 die in Afghan attacks, including 10 journalists," 30 Apr. 2018
Its emergent curriculum is developmentally-appropriate, tailoring the focus to children's interests, and includes tactile and sensory exploration with materials like play dough, water, and sand.

— nadine jolie courtney, Town & Country, "These Preschools Are the Ivy League of Early Education," 11 Oct. 2016
In a small way, Britain already goes head to head with both emergent powers.

— The Economist, "Britain’s Royal Navy has big ambitions—but a small budget," 31 May 2018
The winner in a potential battle of traditional media powerhouses would emerge more well-suited in an entertainment landscape being disrupted by emergent, but powerful players such as Netflix, Amazon and Apple.

— mike snider, USA TODAY, "Comcast planning to outbid Disney for Fox studios and other assets," 23 May 2018
This means the researchers have found a way to create insect-like emergent behaviors in robots, which could prove valuable when studying these types of behaviors in real insects.

— avery thompson, Popular Mechanics, "These Tiny, Mindless Robots Are More Than the Sum of Their Parts," 16 May 2018
For cool-season winter weeds your pre-emergent timing would be the last week of August into the first week of September.

— neil sperry, star-telegram, "If your yard is in the weeds, here are some tips to control them | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 17 May 2018
Viewed from the Googleplex, or One Hacker Way, humanity is a bit like an ant colony: a complex yet predictable emergent organism.

— felix salmon, WIRED, "Musk, Zuckerberg, Bezos, and Ethically Iffy ‘Philanthropy," 15 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'emergent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of emergent

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1593

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

emergent Synonyms

emergent

noun

Definition of emergent

1 : something emergent

2 a : a tree that rises above the surrounding forest

b : an emergent plant

Recent Examples of emergent from the Web

Apply a pre-emergent, like Preen, around the bushes to keep down the weeds until mulch is reapplied in late May. Hot temperatures will require a regular watering program and Kentucky rain is never enough.

— janet miller, The Courier-Journal, "Roses are easy - if done right. Here are foolproof tips to follow for your Kentucky garden," 23 Feb. 2018