as in acute
needing immediate attention
I will need to put off everything but the most urgent issues
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of urgent
The findings raise urgent questions not just about policy communications, but about what happens to patients, hospitals and health systems when coverage is disrupted at scale.
—
Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
The ultimate catalyst remains the industry’s urgent need to replace the revenue from the loss of exclusivity for best-selling drugs.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 4 June 2026
Two very different research threads are converging on the same urgent problem.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
With the proper framing, though, the drills take on an urgent, almost dramatic tenor.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for urgent
Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
The ultimate catalyst remains the industry’s urgent need to replace the revenue from the loss of exclusivity for best-selling drugs.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 4 June 2026
Two very different research threads are converging on the same urgent problem.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
With the proper framing, though, the drills take on an urgent, almost dramatic tenor.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for urgent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for urgent
Adjective
-
The impact was particularly acute in the off-price sector.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,
CNBC,
1 June 2026
-
Cloud, who portrayed the endearing drug dealer Fezco O’Neill in the show’s first two seasons, died of acute intoxication — an accidental overdose — in 2023.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Yet the question is whether United would have enough resources to spend the money needed to bring in Rogers, given a significant chunk of their budget will be focused on addressing the more pressing position of central midfield.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
-
Whether the longer-term risk in stocks is still worth it relative to the opportunity for yield in bonds has become a more pressing question among investors.—
Eric Rosenbaum,
CNBC,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
The conflict has in effect closed the Strait of Hormuz, curtailing exports of oil and gas products, notably jet fuel, leading to dire warnings for the global airline industry.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
2 June 2026
-
If a president’s dire threats to annihilate a civilization can instantaneously go global, so too can videos of fans on their hands and knees, filling trash bags.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Russia had vowed more intense attacks and warned foreign diplomats to abandon Kyiv.—
Elmira Aliieva,
NBC news,
3 June 2026
-
That funding faced intense scrutiny from a handful of Republicans, prompting senators to abandon it.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Australia’s west and east coasts offer two distinctly different, yet equally compelling, coastal experiences.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
The humor resulting from the combination of apparent authenticity, slick social media editing and a compelling mission has prompted speculation among onlookers about the band's true origin.—
Max Bacall , Tessa Hoyos , Nikos DeGruccio,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
While circle practice is more emergent than linear, more intuitive than logical, the science of resonance gives us reason to trust its effectiveness in sensing, amplifying and acting in resonance with the larger field connecting us all.—
Ginny Whitelaw,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
And that’s a pretty fatal transfusion reaction without an emergent stem cell rescue procedure.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Still, some oil traders and shipping companies have reportedly made arrangements with Iran in a desperate effort to get oil flowing to global markets, where stockpiles are being rapidly depleted.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
The genre-bending movie stars Jessica Rothe as a mother desperate to get her baby boy back after he is taken.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
California officials, including Secretary of State Shirley Weber, have repeatedly refuted claims of fraud and, in fact, have defended the state’s slower process as critical to ensuring the counts are accurate.—
Linh Tat,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
-
Remarkably, New York has actually been outscored by four points in his 75 total minutes through two games, yet his critical shot-making in the fourth quarters has come when his team has needed it most.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Urgent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/urgent. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
