emergent

1 of 2

adjective

emer·​gent i-ˈmər-jənt 

1

a

: arising unexpectedly

b

: calling for prompt action : urgent

emergent danger

2

a

: rising out of or as if out of a fluid

emergent coastal islands

b

: rooted in shallow water and having most of its vegetative growth above water

an emergent plant

3

: arising as a natural or logical consequence

4

: newly formed or prominent

emergent nations

emergent

2 of 2

noun

1

: something emergent

2

a

: a tree that rises above the surrounding forest

b

: an emergent plant

Synonyms

Adjective

• acute
• burning
• clamant
• compelling
• critical
• crying
• dire
• exigent
• imperative
• imperious
• importunate
• instant
• necessitous
• pressing
• urgent

Examples of emergent in a Sentence

Adjective

since the problem was not seen as emergent, implementation of the expensive solution for it was continually put off

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

When fear, exhaustion, or resignation crowds out citizens’ commitment to democracy, emergent authoritarianism begins to take root. —Steven Levitsky, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2025

Mahler-Werfel admired Gropius’s architectural talent but had little sympathy for the hyper-objectivity of the emergent Bauhaus movement. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025

Noun

Rosas and colleagues figured that in fact there are three different types of closure involved in emergent systems. —Philip Ball, WIRED, 21 July 2024

Getting the right help to where it’s needed Every study of a large-scale disaster conducted by the Disaster Research Center has revealed some level of emergent, informal helping behavior. —James Kendra, The Conversation, 20 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin emergent-, emergens, present participle of emergere

First Known Use

Adjective

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing emergent

• emergent evolution

Medical Definition

emergent

adjective

emer·​gent i-ˈmər-jənt 

: calling for prompt or urgent action

an emergent condition in a hemophiliac