urgent

/ˈɜːdʒənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɜːrdʒənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈər-jənt/ (ame, mw)

urgent — adjective

  • urgentpositive
  • more urgentcomparative
  • most urgentsuperlative

1. Something that is urgent must be handled quickly and without delay, either becau

1.形容詞B1
釋義

Something that is urgent must be handled quickly and without delay, either because it matters very much or because waiting would create problems.

例句

The hospital received an urgent call about a patient with severe chest pain.

collocation: urgent + call / urgent + matter

Ava had to leave the meeting early to deal with an urgent family matter.

同義詞
  • pressing

    very similar in meaning, often used for matters needing an immediate decision; slightly less strong than 'urgent'

  • critical

    emphasises the risk of serious harm or crisis if not handled; stronger than 'urgent'

  • crucial

    focuses on importance rather than time; something can be crucial without being urgent

反義詞

文法句型

it is urgent that + subject + (should) + base verb

urgent + noun

用法筆記

Often used in official or medical contexts. The pattern 'it is urgent that…' is followed by a subjunctive verb in formal English (e.g., 'it is urgent that he be told') or 'should' in less formal use.

常見錯誤

❌This is an urgent document for the meeting.' (when meaning important but not time-sensitive)
✅This is an important document for the meeting.
💡'Urgent' always implies time pressure, not just importance.

2. An urgent action or way of behaving shows that someone is asking for something v

2.形容詞C1
釋義

An urgent action or way of behaving shows that someone is asking for something very repeatedly and strongly, in a manner that is difficult to ignore or refuse.

例句

Élise could hear her brother's urgent whispers from the next room, begging her to help.

collocation: urgent whisper

The child's urgent knocking on the door continued even after everyone had gone to bed.

collocation: urgent knocking

同義詞
  • insistent

    closest synonym; more direct about the repeated asking

  • importunate

    formal synonym, emphasises that the request is hard to refuse or ignore

  • persistent

    broader in meaning; can describe any repeated action, not necessarily with urgency

反義詞

文法句型

urgent + noun (whisper, gesture, request, tone)

用法筆記

Frequently describes non-verbal communication — a look, a whisper, a knock, a gesture. Distinguished from sense 1 in that the focus is on the person's insistence rather than the objective importance of the matter.

常見錯誤

❌He gave me an urgent look because his train was leaving soon.' (uses sense 2 when sense 1 is meant — his hurry, not his insistence)
✅He gave me an urgent look because he needed my help right away.
💡For sense 2, the person is insistently asking for something, not simply in a hurry.