immediacy

noun

im·​me·​di·​a·​cy i-ˈmē-dē-ə-sē How to pronounce immediacy (audio)
British often -ˈmē-jə-sē
plural immediacies
Synonyms of immediacynext
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

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.
Sometimes, though, this immediacy leads to songwriting that’s literal-minded to the point of banality. Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 20 Feb. 2026 Part of its legal argument for upholding IEEPA was that the alternatives would deny the president flexibility and immediacy. Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026 The immediacy and simplicity of buying turnkey was obviously very appealing to Al-Rashid. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2026 That immediacy carries into the Valentine’s Day release event at Miami SoHo Pool House. Malana Vantyler, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 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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Cite this Entry

“Immediacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immediacy. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

immediacy

noun
im·​me·​di·​a·​cy im-ˈēd-ē-ə-sē How to pronounce immediacy (audio)
plural immediacies
1
: the quality or state of being immediate
2
: something that is of immediate importance
immediacies of daily life

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