How to pronounce urgent
Say it like UR-junt. Urgent has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (UR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce urgent. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- UR
- junt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Urgent pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- URSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- juntKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of urgent
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: UR-junt.
What does urgent mean?
- compelling immediate action“too pressing to permit of longer delay”“the urgent words `Hurry! Hurry!'”
Where does urgent come from?
Borrowed from Middle French urgent (“pressing, impelling”), from Latin urgēns, from urgēre (“to press”), from Proto-Indo-European *werǵʰ- (“bind, squeeze”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with urgent
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of urgent.
Questions about saying urgent
How do you pronounce urgent?
Say UR-junt. The American pronunciation is /ˈɝdʒənt/. In British English it is /ˈɜːdʒənt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in urgent?
Urgent has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (UR). Broken into parts: UR · junt.
Is urgent pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈɜːdʒənt/ (UR-junt).