Definitions

urgent

[ur-juhnt] / ˈɜr dʒənt /

ADJECTIVE

needing immediate attention

Synonyms

STRONGEST

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

WEAK

burning called-for capital chief clamant clamorous crying demanded driving exigent foremost heavy hurry-up impelling importunate insistent instant leading life and death momentous paramount primary principal required salient top-priority touch and go touchy wanted

Antonyms

STRONGEST

easy facile inessential insignificant light minor needless nonessential optional secondary small trivial uncritical unimportant unnecessary unsubstantial voluntary

WEAK

moderate

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.

Nor is it easy to accept the income tax as an urgent revenue matter when it isn’t imposed until 2028.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

The two crew still on board -- one British and one Dutch -- needed urgent care, WHO said.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

He warned that without urgent action, places like south Wales risked repeating the painful industrial transitions of the past.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

And on Monday, the ship operator said two crew members — one British, one Dutch — had acute respiratory symptoms, one mild and one severe but both requiring urgent medical care.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

These four pictures seemed oldest, and somehow more urgent.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

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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