urgent care

noun

1

: medical care provided for illnesses or injuries which require prompt attention but are typically not of such seriousness as to require the services of an emergency room

… they have turned to one of the fastest-growing segments of American health care: urgent care, a common category of walk-in clinics with uncommon interest from Wall Street.

—Julie Creswell

—often used before another noun

If your leg or arm is sore and swollen, go to an urgent care center; if you have chest pain, shortness of breath or you're coughing up blood, get to an emergency room.

—Rick Nathanson

The athlete sustains an inversion or eversion ankle injury and is evaluated at a local emergency room or urgent care facility.

—James S. Keene

2

: medical care of an urgent nature

Strokes now are the focus of a broad new public-awareness campaign labeling them as "brain attacks," needing the same urgent care as heart attacks.

—Marilyn Chase

Examples of urgent care in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

So far this year, places where Californians could’ve been exposed to measles have included Los Angeles International Airport, Disneyland, stores, restaurants, an emergency room, an urgent care center, a gym and what authorities described as an educational enrichment program for children. —Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026

Chris went to both urgent care and his primary care doctor, only to be told that his breathing was fine. —Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026

Police believe the shooting stemmed from an argument in the parking lot, and the urgent care was not being targeted. —Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026

Officials urged anyone experiencing illness to contact their healthcare provider or visit an urgent care or emergency room. —Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 25 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for urgent care

• aftercare
• anywhere
• billionaire
• chinaware
• debonair
• dinnerware
• disrepair
• doctrinaire
• earthenware
• everywhere
• frigidaire
• kitchenware