immediacy

noun

im·​me·​di·​a·​cy i-ˈmē-dē-ə-sē How to pronounce immediacy (audio)
British often -ˈmē-jə-sē
plural immediacies
Synonyms of immediacynext
1
: the quality or state of being immediate
the immediacy of a live performance
2
: something that is immediate
the immediacy of our need
usually used in plural
the basic immediacies of life

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The immediacy and simplicity of buying turnkey was obviously very appealing to Al-Rashid. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2026 That immediacy carries into the Valentine’s Day release event at Miami SoHo Pool House. Malana Vantyler, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026 In that role, relevance is not measured by immediacy, but by the durability of public trust across generations. William Jones, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026 By cutting so much of Brontë’s sprawling novel down to the quick, by focusing so squarely on just Cathy and Heathcliff, we’re trapped only in the immediacy of their doomed affection, which is never allowed to be hot enough to make the entire effort come together, let alone come undone. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for immediacy

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of immediacy was in 1605

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Immediacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immediacy. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

immediacy

noun
im·​me·​di·​a·​cy im-ˈēd-ē-ə-sē How to pronounce immediacy (audio)
plural immediacies
1
: the quality or state of being immediate
2
: something that is of immediate importance
immediacies of daily life

More from Merriam-Webster on immediacy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster