immediate

/ɪˈmiːdiət/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪˈmiːdiət/ (ame, ipa) · /i-ˈmē-dē-ət British often -ˈmē-jit/ (ame, mw)

immediate — 形容詞

  • immediatepositive
  • more immediatecomparative
  • most immediatesuperlative

1. taking place or carried out right away, with no time lost between the event and

1.形容詞B1
釋義

立即；即刻

沒有延遲地發生或完成

taking place or carried out right away, with no time lost between the event and the action.

例句

Tariq's immediate reaction was to pull his little brother away from the hot stove.

Tariq 的第一反應就是把弟弟從熱爐邊拉開。

immediate reaction describes instant, unthinking action

The shelter manager called for an immediate donation of blankets after the earthquake.

地震後，收容所經理呼籲民眾立即捐贈毛毯。

immediate + noun (donation / response / decision) in urgent contexts

同義詞
  • instant

    even faster — suggests no detectable delay at all

  • prompt

    done quickly and efficiently but may allow a short, reasonable wait

  • swift

    emphasises speed of the action itself rather than the absence of delay

反義詞
  • delayed

    happening later than planned or expected

  • gradual

    taking place slowly over a period of time

文法句型

immediate + noun (response / reaction / action / decision)

用法筆記

Often found in formal announcements, warnings, and instructions. Commonly paired with nouns like 'response', 'action', 'decision', or 'effect'.

常見錯誤

❌The doctor gave an instant treatment.
✅The doctor gave immediate treatment.
💡'Instant' suggests zero time (like instant coffee); 'immediate' means very quickly but allows a brief interval.
❌She needs an immediate water.
✅She needs water immediately.
💡'Immediate' is an adjective and must modify a noun; use the adverb 'immediately' after a verb.

2. directly connected to a situation or person as its cause, result, or main concer

2.形容詞B2
釋義

直接；首要

作為直接原因或結果的

directly connected to a situation or person as its cause, result, or main concern, with nothing else in the middle.

例句

The immediate cause of the power cut was a fallen tree on the main cable.

停電的直接原因是主電纜上倒了一棵樹。

immediate cause — the nearest direct reason for something

Dahlia's immediate concern was whether her elderly father had food for the week.

Dahlia 最直接的擔憂是年邁的父親這週有沒有食物吃。

immediate concern — the most urgent worry without intervening factors

同義詞
  • direct

    the most common alternative; slightly less formal and works in more contexts

  • primary

    foregrounds importance rather than closeness in the chain

  • proximate

    formal term for the nearest cause in a sequence

反義詞
  • indirect

    with other factors in between

  • remote

    far removed in the chain of cause and effect

文法句型

immediate + noun (cause / effect / impact / concern)

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 — this sense emphasises a direct causal or relational link (proximity in cause/effect), not speed. The subject is typically an event, policy, or situation, not a person's action.

常見錯誤

❌The immediate cause of her arriving late was the traffic.
✅The direct cause of her arriving late was the traffic.
💡'Immediate cause' is best for a chain where nothing intervenes; 'direct cause' can be used more broadly.

3. relating to what needs attention right now or in the very next step, rather than

3.形容詞B2
釋義

當前；迫切

現在就需要處理的

relating to what needs attention right now or in the very next step, rather than in the distant future.

例句

Ryo's immediate plan after graduation was to find a job that paid the rent.

Ryo 畢業後當前的計畫是找一份能付得起房租的工作。

immediate plan — the first step, not the long-term goal

Yael put aside thoughts of a dream home and focused on the immediate need for a safe place to sleep.

Yael 暫且放下對夢想之家的念頭，專注於當下對安全棲身之所的迫切需求。

immediate need — what must be dealt with right now

同義詞
  • current

    simply means 'now' without the urgency that 'immediate' carries

  • urgent

    stresses that something cannot wait; stronger than 'immediate'

  • pressing

    formal, suggests strong pressure to act

反義詞

文法句型

immediate + noun (need / concern / plan / problem)

用法筆記

Commonly modifies nouns like 'need', 'concern', 'plan', 'problem', and 'priority'. Often contrasts with 'long-term' or 'future' goals in the same sentence.

4. occurring right before or right after a particular person, object, or event in a

4.形容詞B2
釋義

緊鄰；直屬

在順序上直接前後相連的

occurring right before or right after a particular person, object, or event in an ordered sequence.

例句

Sivan's immediate predecessor as team leader had left very detailed instructions.

Sivan 的前一任團隊領導留下了非常詳細的說明。

immediate predecessor — the person directly before in a sequence

The grocery store in the immediate vicinity of the station stays open until midnight.

車站緊鄰的那間雜貨店營業到午夜。

immediate vicinity — the area directly surrounding a place

同義詞
  • next

    simpler and more common for sequential order

  • nearest

    focuses on physical or positional closeness

  • adjacent

    emphasises direct contact without anything in between

反義詞

文法句型

immediate + noun (predecessor / successor / vicinity)

用法筆記

Typically used before nouns that mark a position in a sequence: predecessor, successor, superior, vicinity. 'Immediate superior' means the person directly above you in a hierarchy, even if their office is not physically close.

常見錯誤

❌My immediate friend lives next door.
✅My next-door neighbour lives next door.
💡'Immediate' is not used for physical neighbours in everyday English, only for hierarchical or sequence positions.

5. linked by the closest family bond, such as between parents, children, siblings,

5.形容詞B1
釋義

直系

血緣或婚姻關係最近的

linked by the closest family bond, such as between parents, children, siblings, or a spouse.

例句

Michael's immediate family flew in from three different cities for his wedding.

Michael 的直系親屬從三個不同的城市飛來參加他的婚禮。

immediate family — parents, siblings, spouse, children

Only immediate relatives were allowed into the hospital room after the surgery.

手術後，只有直系親屬才能進入病房。

immediate relatives — official/medical restriction context

同義詞
  • close (family)

    less formal; can include relatives who are not strictly immediate but emotionally close

反義詞

文法句型

immediate family / immediate relative

用法筆記

Almost always used before 'family' or 'relative(s)'. In legal and official contexts the exact definition can vary, but it generally excludes cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

常見錯誤

❌My immediate family includes my cousin Anna.
✅My immediate family includes my parents, my sister, and my brother.
💡Cousins, aunts, and uncles are extended family, not immediate family.

6. the stretch of time starting now and lasting for a short while ahead, typically

6.形容詞B1
釋義

近期

接下來的一段時間

the stretch of time starting now and lasting for a short while ahead, typically weeks or months rather than years.

例句

The company's immediate future depends on whether it can find a new investor this quarter.

公司的近期前景取決於本季能否找到新的投資者。

the immediate future — the next weeks/months, not years

Dylan decided not to move abroad in the immediate future because his mother needed help at home.

Dylan 決定近期內不搬到國外，因為母親需要他在家幫忙。

同義詞
  • near (future)

    more general; 'immediate' sounds closer than 'near'

  • short-term

    emphasises a limited duration rather than closeness from now

反義詞

文法句型

the immediate future

用法筆記

Almost exclusively used in the phrase 'the immediate future' (often preceded by 'in'). Unlike sense 3, which focuses on urgent needs, this sense simply names the coming time period without implying urgency.

常見錯誤

❌In the immediate past, we had good weather.
✅Recently, we had good weather.
💡'Immediate past' is not a natural English phrase; use 'recent' or 'recently' instead.