immediate

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ɪˈmiːdiət/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ɪˈmidiɪt/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(i mē′dē it)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
im•me•di•ate /ɪˈmidiɪt/USA pronunciation   adj. [before a noun]
  1. occurring or done without delay:an immediate reply.
  2. having no object or space in between:lives in the immediate vicinity.
  3. with nothing coming between to interfere;
    direct:an immediate cause.
  4. of or relating to the present time:What are your immediate plans?
  5. very close in relationship:My immediate family consists of my wife, children, father, and sisters.
See -medi-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
im•me•di•ate  (i mē′dē it),USA pronunciation adj. 
  1. occurring or accomplished without delay;
    instant:an immediate reply.
  2. following or preceding without a lapse of time:the immediate future.
  3. having no object or space intervening;
    nearest or next:in the immediate vicinity.
  4. of or pertaining to the present time or moment:our immediate plans.
  5. without intervening medium or agent;
    direct:an immediate cause.
  6. having a direct bearing:immediate consideration.
  7. very close in relationship:my immediate family.
  8. Philosophydirectly intuited.
  • Medieval Latin immediātus. See im-2, mediate (adjective, adjectival)
  • 1525–35
im•me′di•ate•ness, n. 
    1. instantaneous. 3. close, proximate.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
immediate /ɪˈmiːdɪət/ adj (usually prenominal)
  1. taking place or accomplished without delay: an immediate reaction
  2. closest or most direct in effect or relationship: the immediate cause of his downfall
  3. having no intervening medium; direct in effect: an immediate influence
  4. contiguous in space, time, or relationship: our immediate neighbour
  5. present; current: the immediate problem is food
  6. of or relating to an object or concept that is directly known or intuited
Etymology: 16th Century: from Medieval Latin immediātus, from Latin im- (not) + mediāre to be in the middle; see mediateimˈmediacy, imˈmediateness n
'immediate' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
ambient - assault - back yard - beta stock - cardiac arrest - cash - cashback - closure - concordance - current - cut - demise - direct - distress signal - emergency - extemporize - fencible - first aid - follow-on - gemination - hand-to-mouth - head - idea - instant - instantaneous - island - library - memory - neighbourhood - offspring - on - Panama - phrase - pragmatism - presence - pressing - progeny - quick - ready-made - ready money - reflex - reserve - ripple effect - run - scramble - seize - sense datum - spot - spot price - absent-minded
Collocations: [needs, requires] your immediate attention, have arranged for your immediate release, are ready for an immediate [departure, take off, landing], more...

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