emergent

adjective

emer·gent | \ i-ˈmər-jənt

Definition of emergent

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : arising unexpectedly

b : calling for prompt action : urgent emergent danger

2a : 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

noun

Definition of emergent (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : something emergent

2a : a tree that rises above the surrounding forest

b : an emergent plant

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about emergent

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Examples of emergent in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The questions about applying pre-emergent weedkillers started before Christmas lights were back in the box. — Neil Sperry, star-telegram, "Spring lawn care starts now, so don't delay, or you'll be in the weeds in no time | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 21 Feb. 2018 Step 3 - Thwart Weed Growth To prevent weeds from taking over your lawn this summer, apply a pre-emergent herbicide in the spring. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "How to Get Your Lawn Ready for Spring," 22 Jan. 2019 An emergent trend back then was that certain file names, no matter their file extensions and no matter their location on a system, would always refer to certain things. — Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, "This Modern-Day Computer Bug Dates Back to 1974," 5 Nov. 2018 Wall Street investors are enamored with a newly emergent tech company. — Matt O'brien, The Seattle Times, "Apple’s stock sours, Microsoft’s soars. Say what?!," 27 Nov. 2018 Their utility suggested a sense of busyness and ambition well suited to a new age in which emergent technologies were changing everything. — Ginia Bellafante, New York Times, "The High Price of Being Kate Spade," 7 June 2018 Which means that for most Californians the race for governor is just starting, as the first widely broadcast commercials — emergent like the first shoots of spring, but much less lovely — begin to fill the airwaves. — Mark Z. Barabak, latimes.com, "Been ignoring the race for California governor? That's OK, in some ways it's just starting," 26 Apr. 2018 But in taking that stance for his own support base, AMLO might find a historic opportunity: building bridges with Mexico’s southern neighbors, and perhaps also emergent powers such as China. — Time, "Mexico's New President AMLO and Donald Trump Have Promised Mutual 'Respect.' How Long Can That Last?," 3 July 2018 In the early 1990s, horticultural researchers at Iowa State University discovered the pre-emergent capability of this product of the corn wet-milling process, and the university began to obtain patents on CGM. — Margaret Lauterbach, idahostatesman, "Corn processing byproduct halts crabgrass, and adds nutrients to the soil | Idaho Statesman," 28 Feb. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

By then the pre-emergent will be gone from the soil. — Neil Sperry, San Antonio Express-News, "No garden invader is more difficult to eliminate than bamboo," 15 June 2018 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

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.