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REFERENCE

immediate

adj.
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˌɪˈmiˌdiət// UK //ɪmˈiːdɪət// im·me·di·ate General-service

adj. happening or done right away without any delay. It can also describe something that is closest to you in time, space, or a relationship.

adj. occurring or accomplished without any intervening lapse of time; direct or closest in proximity or relationship. Non-gradable in its temporal sense but often used with intensifiers in informal contexts.


SIMPLE

The patient needs immediate medical attention.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager demanded an immediate response to the email because the deadline was only an hour away.

COMPLEX

While the long-term effects of the policy remain uncertain, the immediate consequence was a sharp increase in consumer spending across the retail sector.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Old French immediat (French immédiat), borrowed from Late Latin immediātus (“without in-between, moderation”), from Latin in + mediātus, perfect passive participle of mediō (“to halve, to be in the middle”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from medius (“middle”). By surface analysis, im- + mediate.

Usage

Typically placed before the noun it modifies. When used to describe family, it refers specifically to parents, siblings, and children.

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