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

Her acuity gives equal weight and immediacy to both the intangible reality of human relationships (the social hierarchies among children in a cancer ward, say) and the brute force of physical experience. —Molly Fischer, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2024

This immediacy resonates with South Beach’s lifestyle, where fashion integrates seamlessly with a culture of luxury and accessibility. —Cassell Ferere, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024

The balance of working parents The 44-year-old CEO isn’t the first staffer to identify the conflict between parenting and the immediacy of work—particularly when calls, emails and notifications are delivered direct to your smartphone or watch. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2024

Marking his first year at the head of the Cairo Film Festival’s development and postproduction showcase, CFC director Rodrigo Brum tells Variety that the three winning titles all share a sense of immediacy. —Ben Croll, Variety, 20 Nov. 2024

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