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

Presented two decades after its titular end-date, at a time when discussions of identity have, on many fronts, turned stagnant and defensive, the exhibition prompts viewers to wonder about emergent Asian American arts scenes in New York. —Jenny Wu, ARTnews.com, 6 Nov. 2024

Similarly, the nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, will not only oversee a department of nearly 3 million military and civilian service members but also direct defense spending and contracting with iconic and emergent U.S. defense contractors, such as Boeing, RTX, Palantir, and Kyndryl. —Chloe Berger, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2024

Noun

Amazon’s willingness to experiment and shift direction in response to real-time data exemplifies emergent strategy at scale. 2. —Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024

The goal is to resource and coordinate emergent strategies that foster innovative and impactful collaborations between artists and social justice organizers from underserved communities. —Justin Kroll, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2024

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