WordWeb Online

1. A pressing or urgent situation
   "the health-care exigency";
   - exigence
    
2. A sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action
   "he never knew what to do in an exigency";
   - emergency, pinch, exigence
    
3. That which is required in a particular situation —usually used in plural.
   "The trench maps used in the Great War resulted from the exigencies of war.";
   - exigence

Derived forms: exigencies

Type of: crisis, necessity