urgency

noun

ur·​gen·​cy ˈər-jən(t)-sē How to pronounce urgency (audio)
plural urgencies
1
: the quality or state of being urgent : insistence
2
: a force or impulse that impels or constrains : urge

Examples of urgency in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The heavyweight cast adds a sense of urgency to every covert invasion and reinforces the idea (shared by Sheridan’s Sicario) that some jobs need armies, not rogues. Noel Murray, Vulture, 18 Nov. 2024 Making streets safer doesn’t require some mystical process or cultural transformation, just political will and a sense of urgency. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 13 Nov. 2024 But the false declaration of urgency achieves what Newsom apparently wants: coverage in national media that otherwise probably wouldn’t happen. Dan Walters, Orange County Register, 9 Nov. 2024 Election Day 2024 started early Tuesday with winds of change beckoning, steady streams of election voters heading into polling places across the United States, and an urgency for individuals to express their voices through their ballots. Laura A. Oda, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for urgency 

Word History

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of urgency was in 1540

Dictionary Entries Near urgency

Cite this Entry

“Urgency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/urgency. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

urgency

noun
ur·​gen·​cy ˈər-jən-sē How to pronounce urgency (audio)
: the quality or state of being urgent

Medical Definition

urgency

noun
ur·​gen·​cy ˈər-jən-sē How to pronounce urgency (audio)
plural urgencies
: a sudden compelling need to urinate or defecate
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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