emergency

noun
UK: /ɪˈmɜː.dʒən.si/
US: /ɪˈmɝː.dʒən.si/

  1. A serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.

    1. Call if you have an emergency. [ ] [ ]
    2. The pilot had to make an emergency landing in a field near the airport. [ ] [ ]

  2. A situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property, or environment.

    1. This button is for emergency use only. [ ] [ ]
    2. The hospital is equipped to handle any kind of medical emergency situation. [ ] [ ]

  3. Something that has happened suddenly and that causes danger.

    1. The government declared a state of emergency after the flood. [ ] [ ]
    2. In an emergency, dial 911 for the fire department or the police assistance. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

crisis urgency exigency predicament
emergency adjective

  1. Used or done quickly when something dangerous or unexpected happens.

    1. This is the emergency exit. [ ] [ ]
    2. They needed emergency treatment after the car accident last night. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "emergency" in English means: A serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action., A situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property, or environment., Something that has happened suddenly and that causes danger..

The phonetic transcription of "emergency" is /ɪˈmɜː.dʒən.si/ in British English and /ɪˈmɝː.dʒən.si/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "emergency": crisis, urgency, exigency, predicament.

Example usage of "emergency": "Call if you have an emergency.". More examples on the page.