urgent

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

urgent — 形容詞

  • 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

緊急的

需要立即處理或注意的

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.

醫院接到一通緊急電話，有位患者胸痛嚴重。

collocation: urgent + call / urgent + matter

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

Ava 必須提早離開會議，去處理一件緊急的家事。

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

急切的

不斷要求或懇求，難以忽視

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.

Élise 聽見她弟弟在隔壁房間發出急切低語，不斷求她幫忙。

collocation: urgent whisper

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

那個孩子不停地急切敲門，即使大家都已經上床睡覺了。

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.