Immediately: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes

Meaning 1：right away (immediately)

immediately 🔊

/ɪˈmiːdiətli/

adv.

It means doing something right now, without any waiting.

Immediately illustrated by a hand instantly answering an incoming call on a smartphone screen.

right away 🔊

➕

/raɪt əˈweɪ/

adv.

Indicates that an action occurs without any delay or interruption, at once.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'immediatus' (in- 'not' + medius 'middle'), meaning without intervening time.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine 'I'm mediate' but 'im-' means not, so no waiting in between.

📖 Example

After the teacher gave the homework, the students immediately opened their textbooks. 🔊 The students opened their textbooks right after the teacher assigned the homework.

🔗 Collocations

immediately after – right following an event

act immediately – to take action without delay

respond immediately – to reply or react at once

🔄 Synonyms

instantly (adv.) – without any delay

right away (adv.) – immediately, at once

promptly (adv.) – without delay, quickly

🚫 Antonyms

later (adv.) – at a subsequent time

gradually (adv.) – slowly over a period of time

🌱 Derivatives

immediate (adj.) – occurring or done at once; without delay

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'immediatus', meaning 'without mediation'. Commonly used in urgent commands, legal documents, and instant messaging to emphasize prompt action.