an unforeseen or sudden occurrence, esp of a danger demanding immediate remedy or action (as modifier): an emergency exit a patient requiring urgent treatment (as modifier): an emergency ward - state of emergency ⇒
a condition, declared by a government, in which martial law applies, usually because of civil unrest or natural disaster a player selected to stand by to replace an injured member of a team; reserve
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
e•mer•gen•cy /ɪˈmɜrdʒənsi/USA pronunciation
n. [countable], pl. -cies.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- a sudden, urgent, usually unexpected event or happening requiring immediate action:In an emergency, call the doctor.
e•mer•gen•cy
(i mûr′jən sē),USA pronunciation n., pl. -cies, adj.
n.
adj.
n.
- a sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or occasion requiring immediate action.
- a state, esp. of need for help or relief, created by some unexpected event:a weather emergency; a financial emergency.
adj.
- granted, used, or for use in an emergency:an emergency leave; emergency lights.
- Medieval Latin ēmergentia, equivalent. to ēmerg- (see emerge) + -entia -ency. See emergent
- 1625–35
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged exigency, extremity, pinch, quandary, plight. Emergency, crisis, straits refer to dangerous situations. An emergency is a situation demanding immediate action:A power failure created an emergency in transportation.A crisis is a vital or decisive turning point in a condition or state of affairs, and everything depends on the outcome of it:Help arrived when affairs had reached a crisis.Strait (usually straits) suggests a pressing situation, often one of need or want:The family was in desperate straits for food and clothing.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'meet an emergency' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):