urgently

urgently — adverb

1. requiring immediate action or attention, typically because the situation is crit

1.副詞B2
釋義

requiring immediate action or attention, typically because the situation is critical or time-sensitive

例句

The hospital called Kemi urgently to come in for the night shift.

adverb after verb: called + urgently

Repair crews were urgently sent to fix a broken water pipe before the street flooded.

passive: were urgently sent

同義詞
  • immediately

    focuses on speed rather than importance; does not carry the same sense of critical need

  • desperately

    emotionally stronger than 'urgently'; suggests a pressing personal need rather than an external deadline

  • emergently

    much rarer; used almost exclusively in medical or technical writing

反義詞
  • later

    simple time contrast without the sense of importance

  • casually

    opposite in both tone and time pressure

文法句型

urgently + verb

verb + urgently

urgently + past participle (as adjective)

urgently + needed/required/wanted

用法筆記

Often used in formal or serious contexts such as healthcare, emergency services, and official communications. The adverb can appear before or after the verb; pre-verb positioning (e.g. 'urgently needed') sounds slightly more formal, while post-verb placement (e.g. 'needed urgently') is neutral.

常見錯誤

❌I urgently recommend this restaurant to my friends.
✅I highly recommend this restaurant to my friends.
💡'Urgently' implies a serious or critical need; for casual recommendations, use 'highly' or 'strongly' instead.

2. with strong and sincere determination, especially when asking or pleading for so

2.副詞B2
釋義

with strong and sincere determination, especially when asking or pleading for something you believe is very necessary

例句

Vikram urgently begged his grandmother to teach him the old family recipes before she left.

urgently + begged + to-infinitive

The aid organisation urgently appealed for clean water and medical supplies after the earthquake.

urgently + appealed for + noun

同義詞
  • earnestly

    more formal and sincere; less forceful than 'urgently'

  • insistently

    focuses on the refusal to accept refusal; suggests repetition

  • desperately

    emotionally stronger; implies a sense of near-despair

反義詞

文法句型

urgently + verb (of asking/begging/requesting)

verb + urgently

用法筆記

Unlike sense 1, this sense does not imply a time-critical emergency. It describes a person's emotional intensity, determination, or strong desire. Common with verbs of asking, begging, requesting, appealing, or pressing. The urgency here comes from the speaker's feelings, not from an external deadline.

常見錯誤

❌She urgently wanted a new handbag.
✅She really wanted a new handbag.
💡For ordinary desires, 'urgently' sounds unnatural because it carries the weight of necessity. Use 'really', 'badly', or 'desperately' for wants that are not genuinely important.