immediacy

noun

im·​me·​di·​a·​cy i-ˈmē-dē-ə-sē 

 British often  -ˈmē-jə-sē

plural immediacies

1

: the quality or state of being immediate

2

: something that is immediate

—usually used in plural

Synonyms

• adjacency
• closeness
• contiguity
• nearness
• propinquity
• proximity
• vicinity

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

Other than five consecutive wins in January at a minor tournament in Canberra, Australia, there is little to suggest the immediacy of what has been a breakout week for Alexandra Eala. —Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025

The film was shot almost entirely on location with natural light, lending its high-concept story a gritty sense of immediacy. —Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Mar. 2025

For screenwriter William Gillies, the allure of immediacy appears to absolve the absence of history. —Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025

By delivering dynamic, personalized and seamless interactions, RCS can transform customer experiences, blending immediacy with convenience. —Pratik Bhadra, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

immediacy

noun

im·​me·​di·​a·​cy im-ˈēd-ē-ə-sē 

plural immediacies

1

: the quality or state of being immediate

2

: something that is of immediate importance

immediacies of daily life