immediacy

noun

im·me·di·a·cy i-ˈmē-dē-ə-sē

British often -ˈmē-jə-sē

plural immediacies

Synonyms of immediacy

: the quality or state of being immediate

the immediacy of a live performance

: 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.

That’s to say nothing of the stage, which offers a raw immediacy that books and films lack. — Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026 But the story of China is rarely about immediacy and swiftness. — Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 28 June 2026 There are moments of immediacy where Madonna most flourishes. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 3 July 2026 At-home devices are designed to be lower in intensity than in-office treatments, which makes consistency more important than immediacy. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 30 June 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

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Browse Nearby Words

immed

immediacy

immediate

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Immediacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immediacy. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

immediacy

noun

im·me·di·a·cy im-ˈēd-ē-ə-sē

plural immediacies

: the quality or state of being immediate

: something that is of immediate importance

immediacies of daily life

immediacy

noun

Synonyms of immediacy

Examples of immediacy in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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