state of emergency
Definition
A formal declaration by a government authorizing extraordinary measures, such as curfews or military deployment, to address a severe crisis like a natural disaster, pandemic, or civil unrest.
A temporary condition in which normal legal procedures and civil liberties may be suspended to restore public order and safety during an imminent threat.
Examples
When the pizza delivery was 30 minutes late, my roommates declared a state of emergency and raided the fridge.
The cat knocking over the Christmas tree prompted Grandma to announce a state of emergency in the living room.
During the big game, a power outage turned the tailgate into a state of emergency—beers were going warm.
My inbox hit 999 unread emails, so I finally declared a state of emergency and hit 'select all' delete.