immediacy

noun

im·​me·​di·​a·​cy i-ˈmē-dē-ə-sē 

 British often  -ˈmē-jə-sē

plural immediacies

1

: the quality or state of being immediate

2

: something that is immediate

—usually used in plural

Synonyms

• proximity

Examples of immediacy in a Sentence

Television coverage gave the war greater immediacy than it had ever before had.

There is an immediacy to watching a live performance that you cannot get from hearing a recording.

Recent Examples on the Web

Planting trees, offsetting emissions or eliminating plastic straws, while all important, often lack immediacy and measurable transformation. —Sivan Yaari, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Perhaps for those already living with these needs, the immediacy of their situation would make the promise of humanoids more compelling. —Maya Cakmak, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2025

The access granted by the filmmakers embedding themselves in the trial — where the judge defends the right for journalists to be there — rivals that footage’s immediacy. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2025

Novels are a sanctuary for those seeking refuge from the relentless immediacy of modern life. —Doug McIntyre, Oc Register, 31 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

immediacy

noun

im·​me·​di·​a·​cy im-ˈēd-ē-ə-sē 

plural immediacies

1

: the quality or state of being immediate

2

: something that is of immediate importance

immediacies of daily life