What does nonurgent mean?
Nonurgent means that something does not require immediate attention, action, or treatment. It is especially common in medical and administrative settings, where cases, requests, communications, or problems are sorted according to how soon they must be dealt with. Calling something nonurgent indicates that it can safely wait, but it does not necessarily mean the matter is unimportant: a nonurgent case may still need to be resolved, only at a later or more convenient time. The term is often paired with words such as “case,” “matter,” and “request.” In everyday discussion, “low-priority” can serve a similar function, while “urgent” is its direct opposite. The adjective is also used more broadly for any activity or communication that need not happen right away. Its practical value lies in distinguishing postponable tasks from those that demand prompt action without minimizing the task itself.
adjectiveNot requiring immediate attention, action, or treatment. Used to describe matters that can safely be handled later.
- Not requiring immediate attention, action, or treatment.
"The clinic called to confirm that the test results were nonurgent and did not require an immediate response."
"The hospital classified the condition as nonurgent and recommended a routine appointment."
"We placed the nonurgent request at the bottom of the list."
The word “nonurgent” signals that something can wait without implying that it is unimportant.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nonurgent come from?
“Nonurgent” was formed in English by combining the prefix “non-” with “urgent.” The latter comes through Old French from Latin “urgens,” a participle of “urgere,” meaning “to press or drive.” The same Latin root produced English words including “urge” and “urgency,” and the prefix explicitly negates the urgency denoted by “urgent.”
Related word forms
How nonurgent is actually used
“Nonurgent” is common in medical, administrative, and customer-service contexts. It distinguishes work that can be postponed from work that is urgent, but it should not necessarily be taken to mean trivial or unimportant. As a modifier it is normally written as one word; the adverb is “nonurgently.”