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

Its network includes more than 900 locations, 19 hospitals, 750 physician clinics, urgent care centers, and outpatient facilities, employing 40,000 people. —Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2025

Go to a hospital or urgent care: If possible, have someone drive you to the nearest hospital or medical facility equipped to handle snake bites. —Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 31 July 2025

The medical group provides urgent care, primary care, telemedicine, women’s and men’s health services and specialized programs for weight loss, as well as IV infusions for people needing nutrients, hydration or recovery from sickness and hangovers, its news release said. —Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 17 July 2025

An urgent care provider conducts a virtual visit from Sanford Health's Virtual Care Center. —Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025

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