immediately
Americanadverb
-
without delay or intervention; at once; instantly
it happened immediately
-
very closely or directly
this immediately concerns you
-
near or close by
he's somewhere immediately in this area
conjunction
Related Words
Immediately, instantly, directly, presently were once close synonyms, all denoting complete absence of delay or any lapse of time. Immediately and instantly still almost always have that sense and usually mean at once: He got up immediately. She responded instantly to the request. Directly is usually equivalent to soon, in a little while rather than at once: You go ahead, we'll join you directly. Presently changes sense according to the tense of the verb with which it is used. With a present tense verb it usually means now, at the present time: The author presently lives in San Francisco. She is presently working on a new novel. In some contexts, especially those involving a contrast between the present and the near future, presently can mean soon or in a little while: She is at the office now but will be home presently.
Other Word Forms
- quasi-immediately adverb
- unimmediately adverb
Etymology
Origin of immediately
A late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; immediate, -ly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On private appointments, he says: "You immediately get down to the problem because you have that familiarity."
From BBC
"Civil Defence teams responded immediately and brought the incident under control. No injuries have been reported."
From Barron's
But if shipping is affected, then any such production increases “may not be able to reach the global market immediately.”
From MarketWatch
When she begins dating the owner of a local pet shop, Iona immediately falls in step with her yuppie new beau.
From Salon
As terrible an owner as he is, even Arte Moreno realized the first move as a new owner is important: He significantly lowered beer prices at Angels games immediately after he bought the team.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
