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
Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
The emergent debt crises of the 1980s in Latin America and Africa put dozens of countries in a vulnerable economic position, which the Reagan administration used as leverage to push free market reform.
—Time, 12 May 2025
Vidya Plainfield, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
According to Children at Risk, a Texas research and advocacy nonprofit focused on improving children’s quality of life, Texas’ emergent bilingual student population grew by 49% from 2013 to 2023.
—Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for emergent
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Adjective
Without health insurance, Americans may delay emergent treatment for various health conditions and forego preventive care such as screening for cancer.
—Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
The emergent debt crises of the 1980s in Latin America and Africa put dozens of countries in a vulnerable economic position, which the Reagan administration used as leverage to push free market reform.
—Time, 12 May 2025
Noun
As regulatory initiatives like the EU’s Green Deal take effect, companies must ensure that their outsourcing providers comply with emergent standards.
—Vidya Plainfield, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
According to Children at Risk, a Texas research and advocacy nonprofit focused on improving children’s quality of life, Texas’ emergent bilingual student population grew by 49% from 2013 to 2023.
—Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Mar. 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 24 May. 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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