immediate

adjective

i-ˈmē-dē-ət How to pronounce immediate (audio)
Definition of immediatenext
1
as in instantaneous
done or occurring without any noticeable lapse in time felt immediate relief after taking the painkiller

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in primary
done or working without something else coming in between she is my immediate superior, so I report to her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in swift
done, carried out, or given without delay immediate treatment saved the victim of the massive heart attack

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in near
not being distant in time, space, or significance for the victims of the terrorist attack, the incident is as immediate as yesterday's news

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in current
existing or in progress right now we need to solve the immediate problems before working on the more long-term ones

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of immediate The 7-foot-2 Kessler was an immediate force around both rims for the Lakers, who traded a bounty of draft capital to Utah to fill Doncic's desire for a top center. — CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 Cold water triggers an immediate stress response that spikes heart rate, speeds breathing and constricts blood vessels. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Mamdani's two immediate predecessors as mayor had both called to end the industry, but neither succeeded. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 Security agencies recommended making immediate fixes to the code and going offline entirely if fixes couldn't be made. — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for immediate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for immediate
  1. instantaneous
  2. primary
  3. swift
  4. near
  5. current
  6. instant
  7. direct
  8. timely
Adjective
  • This configuration feeds real-time grip, yaw and velocity data into a central computer, executing independent, instantaneous torque vectoring across the rear wheels.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Majidi’s victory on Thursday night also gives Midday Meal an instantaneous jolt of Oscars buzz.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of instantaneous
Adjective
  • The Heat used Larsson, Portis, Hardaway and Nikola Jovic as its four primary reserves for the third straight game to start the season.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
  • One thing most agree on is that the diminishment of competitive seats leads to greater polarization because legislators are only beholden to primary voters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of primary
Adjective
  • The Royals made swift changes by reassigning hitting coach Alec Zumwalt and clearing out their entire training staff.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The storm on Wednesday that may have spawned a tornado was one in a barrage of strong storms across Southern California this week that caused localized flooding, strong rains and high winds, including a swift-water rescue in Los Angeles.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of swift
Adjective
  • The band frequently steers the poppy songwriting offroad by leaning into distortion and ambience, creating moments of both near-mania and hazy unease.
    — Sue Park, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
  • On a near-weekly basis, Landsat 9 delivers observations of everything from deforestation to water quality and crop growth.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of near
Adjective
  • Instead of relying on an external mechanical tool to move the molecule, the current itself powers the motion.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • If the current odds in all those states hold, the Democrats would win 18 out of 35 races and shift the majority from 53-47 for the Republicans to 52-48 for the Democrats.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of current
Adjective
  • The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for nine consecutive weeks, became an instant hallmark of the mid-2000s, and cemented Ne-Yo’s brand of heartfelt autofiction.
    — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Local reports from Kyiv overnight suggested that there was an instant operational impact following the move.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of instant
Adjective
  • The university introduced an aerospace engineering degree this fall, giving students a direct connection to emerging aviation systems.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • There is no working alternative to Starlink, which has put a massive constellation of low-earth satellites into orbit, and no direct competitor comes close.
    — Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of direct
Adjective
  • Accurate and timely financial information can help leadership identify emerging trends, prepare for obligations and understand the financial consequences of decisions before those decisions become difficult to reverse.
    — Prasanna Kumar, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Her ability to mobilize the population could force the other participants to give greater weight to public demands for a timely election.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of timely

Browse Nearby Words

immediacy
immediate
immediately
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Cite this Entry

“Immediate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/immediate. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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