exigency

noun

ex·i·gen·cy ˈek-sə-jən(t)-sē

ig-ˈzi-jən(t)-

plural exigencies

Synonyms of exigency next

: 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

: the quality or state of being exigent

: a state of affairs that makes urgent demands

a leader must act in any sudden exigency

Choose the Right Synonym for 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.

an important juncture in our country's history

exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation.

provide for exigencies

emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster.

the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies

contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence.

contingency plans

pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency.

come through in a pinch

strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult.

in dire straits

crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference.

a crisis of confidence

Examples of exigency in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web Luton, in particular, appears to be coming to grips with the exigencies of Premier League soccer at considerable speed, as last week’s (more than merited) draw with Liverpool illustrated. —

Rory Smith, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2023 Consequently, Ambrose began instituting furloughs and administrative salary rollbacks to meet payroll and debt service payments; two months later, the ASU board of trustees certified Henderson State's recommendation of financial exigency, which allows for terminating tenured faculty. —

Ryan Anderson, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2023 The exigencies have turned a cool position into a hot seat. —

Peter Marks, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023 The exigencies of war are many and terrifying, leaving suffering on all sides. —

Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023 In each of these stories, the restaurant kitchen is a site where class concerns intersect, where the friction between the consumer’s demands for gratification and the needs of the laborer who is appeasing those exigencies comes to a head. —

Mayukh Sen, The New Republic, 19 Oct. 2023 However, through the exigencies of war, Ukrainians have become more productive than ever. —

James K. Glassman, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2023 What’s actually happening is that ideologically motivated higher education leadership have been using the pretext of financial exigency to reengineer higher education. —

Aaron R. Hanlon, The New Republic, 23 Oct. 2023 Or, perhaps bananas, a historically fickle fruit to categorize, simply transcend material calculuses and human exigencies—such as, well, grocery delivery orders. —

Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 26 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exigency.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.