urgent

American  

[ur-juhnt] / ˈɜr dʒənt /

adjective

1. compelling or requiring immediate action or attention; dire; pressing.

   an urgent matter.

   Synonyms:

   desperate , imperative

2. insistent or earnest in solicitation; importunate, as a person.

   an urgent pleader.

3. expressed with insistence, as requests or appeals.

   an urgent tone of voice.

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urgent British  

/ ˈɜːdʒənsɪ, ˈɜːdʒənt /

adjective

1. requiring or compelling speedy action or attention

   the matter is urgent

   an urgent message

2. earnest and persistent

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Other Word Forms

• nonurgent adjective
• superurgent adjective
• unurgent adjective
• urgency noun
• urgently adverb

Etymology

Origin of urgent

First recorded in 1490–1500; from Latin urgent- (stem of urgēns ), present participle of urgēre “to press, force, drive”; urge, -ent

Example Sentences

In this way, archaeology becomes more than a study of the past; it becomes a means of reconnecting ancient knowledge with today's urgent debates about sustainability and environmental justice.

From Science Daily

In settlements close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, health officials are turning away patients seeking treatment for bacterial infections in favor of more urgent cases, aid officials say.

From The Wall Street Journal

He will call for reform in the sector and an urgent correction to "fundamentally misguided environmental regulation".

From BBC

During the war, adapting to the urgent need for cash, many small businessmen who previously offered money transfer and exchange services began charging customers high commission to turn electronic transfers into cash.

From BBC

"I never feel, or very rarely feel, that urgent hunger that I used to."

From BBC

Related Words

• compelling
• critical
• crucial
• demanding
• essential
• immediate
• imperative
• important
• indispensable
• necessary
• persuasive
• pressing
• serious
• vital
• weighty