# immediately

/ˌɪˈmiˌdiətɫi/ (US) · /ɪmˈiːdɪətli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/immediately
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. instantly

adverb · CEFR A2

right now or without any delay.

For teachers: occurring at once; without any intervening period of time.

- If you see a fire, you must leave the building immediately.
- The emergency services responded immediately to the call, arriving at the scene within minutes of the initial report.

Usage: Usually placed at the end of a clause or directly before the verb it modifies.

### 2. directly next to

adverb · CEFR B2

right next to something in space or following it exactly in a list.

For teachers: without any intervening space or position; in direct contact or sequence.

- The bathroom is immediately to the left of the bedroom door.
- The period immediately following the revolution was marked by significant social upheaval and rapid legislative reform.

Usage: Often used with prepositions like 'after', 'before', 'above', or 'below'.

### 3. as soon as

conjunction · CEFR C1 · British English

used to say that one thing happens at the same time as another.

For teachers: used as a subordinating conjunction to indicate that the action in the main clause occurs at the same moment as the action in the subordinate clause.

- Immediately he saw her, he knew something was wrong.
- Immediately the results were announced, the candidate began preparing her acceptance speech for the evening gala.

Teaching tip: This conjunctive use is more common in British English; American speakers typically prefer 'as soon as' or 'the moment'.

## Examples

- Please call me back immediately.
- The doctor arrived immediately after the nurse called him to the emergency room.
- Upon hearing the fire alarm, the staff immediately initiated the evacuation protocol to ensure all visitors reached the assembly point safely.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.