emergency
a sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or occasion requiring immediate action.
a state, especially of need for help or relief, created by some unexpected event: a weather emergency; a financial emergency.
emergency room: Bring him to emergency—the doctor will meet you there.
granted, used, or for use in an emergency: an emergency leave; emergency lights.
Origin of emergency
1synonym study For emergency
Other words for emergency
Other words from emergency
- non·e·mer·gen·cy, adjective, noun, plural non·e·mer·gen·cies.
- post·e·mer·gen·cy, adjective
- pre·e·mer·gen·cy, adjective, noun, plural pre·e·mer·gen·cies.
Words Nearby emergency
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use emergency in a sentence
Congress has already approved roughly $3 trillion in emergency spending in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and Pelosi has called for much more.
Trump moves closer to Pelosi in economic aid talks, and House speaker must decide next move | Rachael Bade, Erica Werner | September 17, 2020 | Washington PostAn emergency like a rapidly spreading virus, though, requires swift action, which most courts have acknowledged, he said.
Courts may reconsider temporary coronavirus restrictions as pandemic drags on | Anne Gearan, Karin Brulliard | September 16, 2020 | Washington PostIf you can’t make it to the polls because of an unexpected illness, you may qualify for an emergency absentee ballot.
ProPublica’s Pandemic Guide to Making Sure Your Vote Counts | by Susie Armitage | September 16, 2020 | ProPublicaBishop’s injury was unfortunate, but Dallas had a backup in place who was equally as good, if not better, to take over in case of emergency.
Teams Don’t Win The Stanley Cup With A Goal Deficit. Can The Dallas Stars Change That? | Terrence Doyle | September 16, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightHarris and Newsom spoke to emergency personnel at Pine Ridge Elementary School in Auberry, about an hour east of Fresno.
Trump, in town hall, says he wouldn’t have done anything differently on pandemic | Colby Itkowitz, Josh Dawsey, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner | September 16, 2020 | Washington Post
During an emergency that ratio could be allowed to drop to 8.5 people per orbit.
Exclusive: U.S. Drone Fleet at ‘Breaking Point,’ Air Force Says | Dave Majumdar | January 5, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTInvestigators will focus on whether the sudden emergency was so extreme that no degree of pilot skill would have helped.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly? | Clive Irving | January 4, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTOne specific kind of emergency is at the heart of this, such as when an airplane suffers a loss of stability at night.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly? | Clive Irving | January 4, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTHad they been properly trained, they could and should have flown themselves safely out of the emergency.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly? | Clive Irving | January 4, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThis suggests that the pilots were overtaken very rapidly by an emergency.
Here there is no question of emergency, or enemy pressure, or of haste; so much we see plain enough with our own eyes.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I | Ian HamiltonThe case for emergency contractility, however, is somewhat better than the case for ordinary contractility.
Readings in Money and Banking | Chester Arthur PhillipsI do not know whether they can be manned, but everything is being prepared for any emergency that may arise.
As long as an emergency truck could squeeze through at moderate speed, that was enough.
Fee of the Frontier | Horace Brown FyfeSam, who was quite equal to the emergency, took old Liz into his arms and followed, but cast one glance back at Tommy.
The Garret and the Garden | R.M. Ballantyne
British Dictionary definitions for emergency
/ (ɪˈmɜːdʒənsɪ) /
an unforeseen or sudden occurrence, esp of a danger demanding immediate remedy or action
(as modifier): an emergency exit
a patient requiring urgent treatment
(as modifier): an emergency ward
state of emergency a condition, declared by a government, in which martial law applies, usually because of civil unrest or natural disaster
NZ a player selected to stand by to replace an injured member of a team; reserve
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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