urgent

adjective

ur·​gent ˈər-jənt How to pronounce urgent (audio)
1
a
: calling for immediate attention : pressing
urgent appeals
an urgent need
b
: conveying a sense of urgency
2
: urging insistently : importunate
urgently adverb

Examples of urgent in a Sentence

We've come to deliver an urgent message. an urgent appeal for assistance He addressed us in an urgent manner. An urgent voice came over the intercom, telling us to leave the building immediately.
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.
This research emphasizes the urgent need for stronger safeguards as AI agents become more embedded in business operations. Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025 Trump, in the lead-up to his meeting with Putin, repeatedly stressed the need for an urgent, long-lasting ceasefire in the war. Erin Doherty, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2025 This instinct, however, comes with the risk of missing real, urgent messages, something one California resident learned the hard way. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2025 An urgent search has been launched for a 12-year-old boy with a severe brain condition, who went missing from his home in New Orleans. Escher Walcott, People.com, 16 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for urgent

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin urgent-, urgens, present participle of urgēre

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of urgent was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Urgent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/urgent. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

urgent

adjective
ur·​gent ˈər-jənt How to pronounce urgent (audio)
1
a
: calling for immediate attention : pressing
an urgent need for food
b
: indicating an urgent desire or need
an urgent manner
2
: urging very earnestly
urgently adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on urgent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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