immediate

adjective

im·me·di·ate | \ i-ˈmē-dē-ət

, British often -ˈmē-jit\

Definition of immediate

1a : occurring, acting, or accomplished without loss or interval of time : instant an immediate need

b(1) : near to or related to the present the immediate past

(2) : of or relating to the here and now : current too busy with immediate concerns to worry about the future

2a : existing without intervening space or substance brought into immediate contact

b : being near at hand the immediate neighborhood

3 : being next in line or relation the immediate family

4a : acting or being without the intervention of another object, cause, or agency : direct the immediate cause of death

b : present to the mind independently of other states or factors immediate awareness

c : involving or derived from a single premise an immediate inference

5 : directly touching or concerning a person or thing the child's immediate world is the classroom

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Examples of immediate in a Sentence

This requires your immediate attention. The new restaurant was an immediate success. This crisis calls for immediate action. The response to the crisis was immediate. The wildfire poses no immediate threat to any houses in the area. The danger is not immediate. They have evacuated everyone in the immediate area of the wildfire. Many people suffered in the war's immediate aftermath. The effect of the new policy will be unknown for the immediate future. He was sitting to my immediate right.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Camp Fire intensified a crisis for PG&E, which had already been blamed for causing several disastrous fires in 2017, and employees in the fire zone had to reckon with the immediate fallout. — Lizzie Johnson, SFChronicle.com, "At PG&E, a workforce on edge — and under attack — as fire season arrives," 9 June 2019 But reactions from representatives of commuter-heavy communities in North County and East County ranged from cautious to immediate rejection. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Column: Future transportation plan needs unified approach. It’s not happening.," 9 June 2019 The immediate goal is to enable the government to send a Hong Kong man to Taiwan, where he is accused of having killed his girlfriend. — Austin Ramzy, BostonGlobe.com, "A million march in Hong Kong over eroding freedoms, organizers say," 9 June 2019 Moore's social media thread attracted immediate notice. — al.com, "Southern Baptists discuss whether one woman can preach," 9 June 2019 Gone are the days of walking in and going up to a counter for immediate service. — Sainted & Tainted Writers, Twin Cities, "Sainted and Tainted: This might be an unpopular thought right now, but here’s to you, Woodbury DMV!," 8 June 2019 There’s no immediate timetable for Haniger’s return. — Jesse Yomtov, USA TODAY, "Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger suffers ruptured testicle," 8 June 2019 The hall has an immediate opening for an additional part-time staff person to monitor rentals and ensure the safety of the facility and its users. — Christina Hyder, baltimoresun.com, "Renovations almost complete at Carroll Baldwin Hall," 7 June 2019 Folau's brother quits Waratahs Folau's younger brother, John, has been granted an immediate release from his contract by the NSW Waratahs. — Ben Morse, CNN, "Israel Folau fights 'unlawful termination' of Australia rugby contract," 6 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'immediate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.