exigency

noun ex·i·gen·cy \ ˈek-sə-jən(t)-sē , ig-ˈzi-jən(t)- \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: exigency in a Sentence

Definition of exigency

plural exigencies

1 : that which is required in a particular situation —usually used in plural

exceptionally quick in responding to the exigencies of modern warfare
—D. B. Ottaway

2 a : the quality or state of being exigent

b : a state of affairs that makes urgent demands

a leader must act in any sudden exigency

See exigency defined for English-language learners

See exigency defined for kids

Examples of exigency in a Sentence

the exigencies requiring snap decisions that traders on the stock exchange face every day

Recent Examples of exigency from the Web

Here was art that, in its dazzlingly unorthodox approach to form and aesthetics, could mimic and even embody the exigencies of real life.

— justin chang, latimes.com, "In May 1968, the Cannes Film Festival ground to a halt. Fifty years later, it's still sparking controversy," 20 Apr. 2018
Predictably, the Continentals had reached out to the Delaware people for reasons of military exigency.

— ryan p. smith, Smithsonian, "Why the Very First Treaty Between the United States and a Native People Still Resonates Today," 25 May 2018
Chicago State trustees declared a state of financial exigency, or emergency, in 2016.

— teddy greenstein, chicagotribune.com, "Chris Zorich, former Bears and Notre Dame defensive lineman, named athletic director at Chicago State," 1 May 2018
But there are also times when the exigencies of law enforcement and national security are in obvious conflict with the spirit behind sunshine laws.

— michael richter, WSJ, "The Public Has a Right to Know, but There Are Limits," 5 Apr. 2018
Longevity Insurance’ As all of the above suggests, even a substantial nest egg may not be able to cover all the exigencies of a blessedly long life.

— chris taylor, Fortune, "How to Invest for a 40-Year Retirement," 13 Dec. 2017
The very skills that made Ells so successful as a founder were not compatible with the new exigencies.

— james r. bailey, Fortune, "Commentary: Why Do CEOs Like Chipotle’s Overstay Their Welcome?," 19 Dec. 2017
Instead, Xi will make a political determination as to what works best, given the exigencies of the moment and his own long-term strategy and goals.

— chicagotribune.com, "Xi Jinping Is About to Face a Constitutional Crisis," 7 Sep. 2017
But atmospheric turbulence and optical exigencies often smudge the stars into bigger blurs.

— dennis overbye, The Seattle Times, "The eclipse that revealed the universe," 4 Aug. 2017

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

First Known Use of exigency

1588

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

exigency Synonyms

Synonyms

boiling point, breaking point, clutch, conjuncture, crisis, crossroad(s), crunch, emergency, extremity, flash point, head, juncture, tinderbox, zero hour;

Related Words

contingency, possibility;

climax, turning point;

happening, landmark, milestone;

condition, pass, situation, strait;

deadlock, impasse, stalemate;

corner, fix, hole, hot water, jam, last ditch, pinch, predicament, scrape, spot;

eleventh hour, last minute;

Phrases

moment of truth, point of no return;

Synonym Discussion of exigency

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.