# urgency

/ˈɝdʒənsi/ (US) · /ˈɜːdʒənsi/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. importance and speed

noun · CEFR B2

the quality of being very important and needing to be dealt with immediately.

For teachers: the quality or condition of requiring immediate attention or action. Uncountable in this general sense.

- The doctor spoke with great urgency because the patient needed surgery right away.
- The climate report added a new sense of urgency to the international negotiations, forcing leaders to reconsider their previous timelines for carbon reduction.

### 2. insistence

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a strong feeling or way of speaking that shows you want something done now.

For teachers: the quality of being insistent or pressing in one's demands or requests.

- There was a note of urgency in her voice when she called my name.
- Despite the quiet setting, the urgency of his request was clear to everyone in the boardroom.

### 3. medical need to urinate

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a sudden, strong need to go to the toilet that is difficult to wait for.

For teachers: a sudden and compelling physiological need to urinate that is difficult to defer. Often used in clinical contexts regarding bladder health.

- Patients with this infection often experience sudden urgency and pain.
- The clinical trial focused on medications designed to reduce urinary urgency in elderly patients suffering from overactive bladder syndrome.

Usage: Often appears in the phrase 'urinary urgency'.

## Examples

- The urgency of the situation surprised everyone.
- The doctor treated the patient with urgency because his condition was worsening rapidly.
- The urgency of the climate crisis demands immediate policy changes rather than gradual adjustments over the next decade.

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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.