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

While Southwest has been on the hot seat for changing some elements of their loyalty program the immediacy is a strong strategic fit to what consumers seek from best-in-class reward programs. —Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025

Some felt a marked tension between the conventions of their faith and the immediacy of their psilocybin experience. —Michael Pollan, New Yorker, 19 May 2025

The immediacy of hunger pangs makes focusing on the future a challenge. —Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2025

Once the immediacy of that task fades, years of accounting for the neighborhood’s many losses lie ahead, as does the ongoing rebuilding. —Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 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