emergency
C1Neutral to formal (depending on context).
Definition
Meaning
A sudden, serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.
A state of heightened alert and urgency to deal with a crisis; used to describe services, resources, or procedures designated for such situations.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies an unforeseen, pressing threat to safety, health, property, or stability. Often involves official or institutional response protocols.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor spelling in compounds (e.g., 'emergency exit' vs. 'emergency exit' - no difference). Use of 'A&E' (Accident & Emergency) is standard UK for the hospital department, while 'ER' (Emergency Room) is standard US.
Connotations
Similar core meaning. In US administrative/government contexts, 'state of emergency' is a formal legal declaration.
Frequency
Comparably high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
In case of emergencyDeclare/announce an emergencyEmergency in/at [place]Emergency over [issue]Emergency involving [person/thing]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Emergency measures”
- “Pull the emergency cord (on a train)”
- “Emergency stop”
- “In an emergency, break glass”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A situation threatening operations or finances, e.g., 'The board held an emergency meeting following the data breach.'
Academic
Used in fields like medicine, public policy, and disaster studies to describe events requiring immediate coordinated response.
Everyday
Refers to personal crises (medical, domestic) or public alerts. 'Call 999/911 in an emergency.'
Technical
In engineering/computing: a backup system or mode activated during failure, e.g., 'emergency power generator', 'emergency shutdown protocol'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The government may emergency-power the legislation through Parliament. (rare, contextual)
American English
- The city council voted to emergency-fund the repairs. (rare, contextual)
adverb
British English
- The law was passed emergency. (highly rare/non-standard)
American English
- The supplies were flown in emergency. (highly rare/non-standard)
adjective
British English
- She was taken to the A&E department for emergency treatment.
- The pilot made an emergency landing at Gatwick.
American English
- He dialled 911 from the emergency phone.
- The governor activated the emergency operations center.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- In an emergency, call the police.
- This door is an emergency exit.
- The hospital has a special ward for emergency cases.
- The government declared a state of emergency after the flood.
- The pilot's quick thinking averted a disaster, resulting in a controlled emergency landing in a field.
- All staff must familiarise themselves with the emergency evacuation procedures.
- The charity provides emergency humanitarian aid to conflict zones, often operating under extremely hazardous conditions.
- The committee was convened on an emergency basis to address the unprecedented financial shortfall.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an EMERGing agENCY – a new agency that suddenly emerges to handle a crisis.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMERGENCY IS A SUDDEN APPEARANCE / EMERGENCY IS A CALL TO BATTLE (mobilising resources).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation for 'чрезвычайная ситуация' in all contexts; 'emergency' is broader. 'Emergency meeting' is not 'чрезвычайное собрание' but 'внеочередное собрание'. The Russian 'аварийный' often maps to 'emergency' as an adjective (emergency exit).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'emergency' as a countable noun incorrectly: 'an emergency' (correct), but 'I had many emergencies' sounds odd; prefer 'many emergency situations'. Confusing 'emergency' with 'urgency' – 'urgency' is the quality of being urgent, not the event itself.
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase is NOT a common collocation with 'emergency'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
An 'emergency' is an immediate, sudden event requiring urgent action (often physical/safety-related). A 'crisis' is a broader, often more prolonged period of intense difficulty or danger, which may involve multiple emergencies or be more political/economic in nature.
Yes, 'emergencies' is the standard plural, though it's used less frequently than the singular as the word often refers to an abstract concept or a single specific event.
Yes, very commonly (e.g., emergency exit, emergency funds). It functions as a noun modifier (attributive noun).
The stress is always on the second syllable: e-MER-gen-cy, in both British and American English.
Collections
Part of a collection
Health and Body
A2 · 48 words · Talking about health, illness and medical care.
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