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

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

Synonyms of immediacy

• 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

Back in the south wing, the vibrancy and immediacy of the Vasquez paintings cannot be overstated. —Penny E Schwartz, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026

The immediacy of svn4vr’s arrangements always tugs the heartstrings. —H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026

For many participants, what sets the class apart is the immediacy in intricacies of learning. —Daily News, 6 Apr. 2026

The views of the art of directing provided by the participants in Nirenberg’s book are exquisitely detailed and tangy with emotional immediacy. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026

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