emergency

noun

emer·​gen·​cy i-ˈmər-jən(t)-sē How to pronounce emergency (audio)
plural emergencies
often attributive
1
: an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls for immediate action
2
: an urgent need for assistance or relief
the mayor declared a state of emergency after the flood
Choose the Right Synonym for emergency

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 emergency in a Sentence

Her quick thinking in an emergency saved the baby's life. an alert, quick-thinking girl who is good to have around in an emergency
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.
What To Know On Saturday, Zelensky posted on X how missile and drone fragments were being cleared up in Kyiv, where rescue and emergency operations were ongoing. Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025 The law, known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, allows the president to take economic action after declaring an emergency that constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the United States. Jody Godoy, USA Today, 24 May 2025 The case was the latest in a string of emergency appeals President Donald Trump’s administration has made to the Supreme Court, many of them related to immigration and involving Venezuela. Mike Schneider, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 May 2025 The measures also create a pilot program intended to place three new experimental reactors online by July 4, 2026 — 13 months from now — and invoke the Defense Production Act to allow emergency measures to ensure the U.S. has the reactor fuel needed for a modernized nuclear energy sector. Matthew Daly, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for emergency

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1631, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of emergency was circa 1631

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Cite this Entry

“Emergency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emergency. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

emergency

noun
emer·​gen·​cy i-ˈmər-jən-sē How to pronounce emergency (audio)
plural emergencies
1
: an unexpected situation that calls for immediate action
2
: an urgent need for help
a state of emergency

Medical Definition

emergency

noun
emer·​gen·​cy i-ˈmər-jən-sē How to pronounce emergency (audio)
plural emergencies
: an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls for immediate action: as
a
: a sudden bodily alteration (as a ruptured appendix or surgical shock) such as is likely to require immediate medical attention
b
: a usually distressing event or condition that can often be anticipated or prepared for but seldom exactly foreseen

Legal Definition

emergency

noun
emer·​gen·​cy
plural emergencies
1
: an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls for immediate action
2
: an urgent need for assistance or relief
a state of emergency

More from Merriam-Webster on emergency

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