1
always followed by an adverb or preposition
: with no person or thing in between
They live in the house immediately [=directly] behind this one.
the person immediately to my left
Dinner was served immediately after the ceremony.
2
: without any delay
We need to leave immediately. [=at once, right away]
The new law will become effective immediately.
The cause of the problem was not immediately clear. [=was not known right away]
British, formal
: immediately after : as soon as
Immediately you fill in this form, we can start processing your request.
Cite this Entry
“Immediately.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/immediately. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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