# emerge

/ˈimɝdʒ/ (US) · /ɪmˈɜːdʒ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/emerge
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to come into view

verb · CEFR B2

to come out from a place where you could not be seen.

For teachers: to come into view or move out from an enclosed or obscured space. Intransitive — does not take a direct object.

- The sun finally started to emerge from behind the thick clouds.
- The swimmers began to emerge from the lake, shivering as the cold morning air hit their damp skin.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'from'.

### 2. to become known

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to become known or clear after being a secret or a mystery.

For teachers: to become apparent, known, or prominent as a result of inquiry or development.

- New details about the accident began to emerge after the police report.
- Several troubling discrepancies in the financial records emerged during the annual audit, prompting a deeper investigation into the company's practices.

Usage: Commonly used with 'that' clauses or 'during' to indicate the timing of a discovery.

### 3. to survive a situation

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to come out of a difficult situation in a certain state.

For teachers: to come out of an experience, state, or period of time. Functions as a copular verb in this sense.

- The company managed to emerge from the crisis stronger than before.
- The nation emerged from the long conflict with its infrastructure in ruins but its political resolve significantly strengthened.

Usage: Typically followed by an adjective or a prepositional phrase starting with 'from'.

## Examples

- The sun began to emerge from behind the clouds.
- New evidence started to emerge during the second week of the trial, changing the jury's perspective.
- As the morning mist began to dissipate, the jagged peaks of the mountain range slowly started to emerge against the pale blue horizon.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.