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

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

The key event that may explain some of his cognitive issues may have been a life- threatening event that occurred in the 1980’s, when, then-Senator Biden, had emergent brain surgery on a leaking brain aneurysm in February, 1988 repaired by Dr. Eugene George and Dr. Neal Kassell. —Robert Glatter, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025

This emergent Catholic right in the U.S. has deepened in its loyalty to President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert. —Liam Adams, USA Today, 12 May 2025

Noun

Drawing from her extensive experience in content development for award-winning productions and emergent networks, Luisa will guide participants through the end-to-end process of production, from concept development to distribution. —Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 22 May 2025

This situation exemplifies the importance of community collaboration and the role of the Solana Beach Fund in bringing together local resources, knowledge and expertise to effectively address emergent needs, the news release stated. —News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 2025

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 1a

Noun

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing emergent

• emergent evolution

Rhymes for emergent

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

Medical Definition

emergent

adjective

emer·​gent i-ˈmər-jənt 

: calling for prompt or urgent action

an emergent condition in a hemophiliac