urgent
18 synonyms and 3 antonyms for urgent, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Needing immediate attention or action.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use urgent
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Latin urgēns, "pressing," from urgēre, "to press" — related to English "urge" and, more distantly, "wring" and "wreck."
Full origin of urgent →Frequently asked questions
What does “urgent” mean?
The word “urgent” means needing immediate attention or action. In plain terms, something that can't wait and needs to be dealt with right away.
How do you pronounce “urgent”?
“Urgent” is pronounced UR-juhnt (/ˈɝ.d͡ʒənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “urgent” in a sentence?
Here is “urgent” used in a sentence: “This is an urgent matter — please call me back today.”
What is another word for “urgent”?
Words with a similar meaning to “urgent” include acute, bad, clamant, crying, sore and dire.
What is the opposite of “urgent”?
The opposite of “urgent” — its antonyms — are evergreen, nonurgent and unurgent.
What part of speech is “urgent”?
“Urgent” is an adjective.
Where does the word “urgent” come from?
The word “urgent” comes from Latin. From Latin urgēns, "pressing," from urgēre, "to press" — related to English "urge" and, more distantly, "wring" and "wreck.".
Is “urgent” a common word?
“Urgent” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between "urgent" and "important"?
"Urgent" means something needs immediate attention or action, so it is about timing. "Important" means something matters or carries significant consequences, regardless of when it must be done. A task can be urgent but not important, or important but not urgent.
What is the difference between "urgent" and "pressing"?
Both describe something that demands prompt attention, and they are often interchangeable. "Urgent" is the stronger, more common word and can imply an emergency. "Pressing" suggests something insistent and hard to postpone, but is often slightly less forceful.
What is the difference between "urgent" and "emergency"?
"Urgent" is an adjective meaning needing immediate attention or action. "Emergency" is usually a noun naming a serious, unexpected situation that requires an immediate response. An urgent matter is pressing, while an emergency is the critical event itself.