immediately
ih-MEE-dee-uht-lee
Immediately (adv) means Right away, without any delay. Example: “When the fire alarm rang, everyone in the building left immediately.”
adv
1
Right away, without any delay.
"When the fire alarm rang, everyone in the building left immediately."
"I hope we can begin immediately."
"Spain failed to move through the gears despite exerting control for lengthy spells and a measure of perspective must be applied immediately to the outcome."
— , International friendly: England 1-0 Spain (2011)
"Please call me immediately if anything changes."
"She recognized his voice immediately."
How to use immediately
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRight now, with no waiting.
Common pairings
act immediately
immediately after
immediately following
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Etymology
From "immediate" plus the adverb-forming suffix "-ly."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for immediately
See all rhymes for immediately →Frequently asked questions
What does “immediately” mean?
The word “immediately” means right away, without any delay. In plain terms, right now, with no waiting.
How do you pronounce “immediately”?
“Immediately” is pronounced ih-MEE-dee-uht-lee (/ɪˈmi.di.ɪt.li/ in IPA).
How do you use “immediately” in a sentence?
Here is “immediately” used in a sentence: “Please call me immediately if anything changes.”
What is another word for “immediately”?
Words with a similar meaning to “immediately” include forthwith, now, right away, straightaway, tout de suite and directly.
What is the opposite of “immediately”?
The opposite of “immediately” — its antonyms — is eventually.
What part of speech is “immediately”?
“Immediately” is an adverb.
Is “immediately” a common word?
“Immediately” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between immediately and soon?
Immediately means right now, with no delay at all — action starts at once. Soon means before long, but with some unspecified gap of time still to pass. 'Reply immediately' expects an instant response; 'reply soon' allows a little while. Immediately is urgent and exact; soon is vaguer and gentler.
What is the opposite of immediately?
The opposite is later, eventually, or gradually — anything that involves delay rather than instant action. Where immediately means without any wait, its antonyms suggest putting something off: 'in due course,' 'after a while,' or 'sometime.' To act immediately is to act now; the reverse is to postpone.
What is an example of immediately in a sentence?
'Call a doctor immediately' means make the call this instant, not later. 'The alarm sounded and everyone left immediately' shows action with no pause between cause and response. Immediately can also mean directly in space or sequence: 'the shop is immediately next door' or 'immediately after lunch.'
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