emer·gent
i-ˈmər-jənt 
1
a
: arising unexpectedly
b
: calling for prompt action : urgent
emergent danger
2
a
: rising out of or as if out of a fluid
emergent coastal islands
b
: rooted in shallow water and having most of its vegetative growth above water
an emergent plant
3
: arising as a natural or logical consequence
4
: newly formed or prominent
emergent nations
1
: something emergent
2
a
: a tree that rises above the surrounding forest
b
: an emergent plant
Synonyms
Examples of emergent in a Sentence
Adjective
since the problem was not seen as emergent, implementation of the expensive solution for it was continually put off
Recent Examples on the Web
Greg Brunk, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
The world is full of such emergent phenomena: large-scale patterns and organization arising from innumerable interactions between component parts.
—Philip Ball, WIRED, 21 July 2024
Philip Ball, WIRED, 21 July 2024
By understanding when to apply deliberate planning and when to pivot with emergent learning, companies can build the resilience needed to thrive in an unpredictable world.
—Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for emergent 
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Adjective
Therefore, leaders must place guardrails around their emergent AI models and policies.
—Greg Brunk, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
The world is full of such emergent phenomena: large-scale patterns and organization arising from innumerable interactions between component parts.
—Philip Ball, WIRED, 21 July 2024
Noun
The framework also has implications for understanding the tricky question of cause and effect in complex and emergent systems.
—Philip Ball, WIRED, 21 July 2024
By understanding when to apply deliberate planning and when to pivot with emergent learning, companies can build the resilience needed to thrive in an unpredictable world.
—Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for emergent
Dictionary Entries Near emergent
Cite this Entry
“Emergent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emergent. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
emergent
adjective
emer·gent
i-ˈmər-jənt
: calling for prompt or urgent action
an emergent condition in a hemophiliac
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