urgent
Americanadjective
-
compelling or requiring immediate action or attention; dire; pressing.
an urgent matter.
- Synonyms:
- desperate, imperative
-
insistent or earnest in solicitation; importunate, as a person.
an urgent pleader.
-
expressed with insistence, as requests or appeals.
an urgent tone of voice.
adjective
-
requiring or compelling speedy action or attention
the matter is urgent
an urgent message
-
earnest and persistent
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of urgent
First recorded in 1490–1500; from Latin urgent- (stem of urgēns ), present participle of urgēre “to press, force, drive”; see urge, -ent
Explanation
If something is urgent it requires immediate attention or action. If you break your leg, you'll need urgent attention at the hospital — that means the doctors will tend to you without delay. Urgent comes from the Latin word urgentem, meaning "to press hard, urge." You can see that urgent contains the word urge, meaning "to demand or insist." When you get an urgent message, you need to drop what you're doing to deal with it. An urgent need, like hunger, is a pressing one. If you're a music fan, you might know the song "Urgent" by the band Foreigner. The song's lyrics "make it fast, make it urgent" and its frenetic style help define the word.
Vocabulary lists containing urgent
A Long Walk to Water
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List 7
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Bud, Not Buddy
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the following weeks, Katz’s emails took on an increasingly urgent tone.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
The Independent Football Regulator said it contacted West Ham over "extremely serious allegations" raised about Sullivan and said it was seeking "urgent information" from him about his suitability for the role.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
An Ebola outbreak raging in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has made it even more urgent to broker a ceasefire for the conflict-ravaged region, the European Union's crisis management commissioner said during a visit Sunday.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
Some researchers are concerned retailers could use personal data to set higher base prices for individuals, without their knowledge, when algorithms detect things like urgent need or high disposable income.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
To warn Wolf to stay out of sight, he gave a low, urgent ‘uff’.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
