exigent
Americanadjective
-
requiring immediate action or aid; urgent; pressing.
-
requiring a great deal, or more than is reasonable.
adjective
-
urgent; pressing
-
exacting; demanding
Other Word Forms
- exigently adverb
- nonexigent adjective
- nonexigently adverb
- unexigent adjective
- unexigently adverb
Etymology
Origin of exigent
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin exigent- (stem of exigēns ) (present participle of exigere to drive out, demand), equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + -ig- (combining form of agere to drive) + -ent- -ent
Explanation
When you describe something as exigent, you are saying it requires attention: it can't be ignored. Exigent, which means "demanding attention," comes from the Latin for "driving out." If there's a runaway train driving straight at you, that's an exigent situation — not a good time to stop and write a poem. When circumstances become exigent, it's time to act. When exigent questions arise, an answer is necessary. You can also use exigent for a person who demands attention, usually by complaining. If you've ever worked as a waiter, you've surely dealt with an exigent customer.
Vocabulary lists containing exigent
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
GRE Verbal Reasoning, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Grade 12, List 6
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
There are a few, such as consent searches and exigent circumstances where someone is in danger or evidence is about to be destroyed.
From Salon • Jan. 23, 2026
“Some people don’t want to have to get a long-term place,” she says, and signing a lease doesn’t allow any wiggle room for exigent circumstances.
From Salon • Aug. 18, 2025
He was really mindful of the ways in which he lives in this present moment right now, with exigent problems that need to be solved.
From Slate • May 9, 2025
“Even a lay person has the common sense to see exigent circumstances exist to enter these homes,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2025
And each time I was about to call an end to the chaos, I got sidetracked by exigent cries of “R-and-W, center gate!”
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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.
