hurry

1 of 2

verb

hur·​ry ˈhər-ē 

ˈhə-rē

hurried; hurrying

transitive verb

1

a

: to carry or cause to go with haste

hurry them to the hospital

b

: to impel to rash or precipitate action

that hard-to-be-governed passion of youth hurried me frequently into intrigues with low women

—Benjamin Franklin

2

a

: to impel to greater speed : prod

used spurs to hurry the horse

b

: expedite

asked them to hurry dinner

c

: to perform with undue haste

hurry a minuet

intransitive verb

: to move or act with haste

please hurry up

hurrier noun

hurry

2 of 2

noun

1

: disturbed or disorderly activity : commotion

the incessant hurry and trivial activity of daily life … seem to prevent, or at least discourage, quiet and intense thinking

—C. W. Eliot

2

a

: agitated and often bustling or disorderly haste

b

: a state of eagerness or urgency : rush

was in a hurry to get home

Phrases

in a hurry

: without delay : as rapidly as possible

the police got there in a hurry

Synonyms

Verb

• accelerate
• bundle
• fast-track
• hasten
• quicken
• rush
• speed (up)
• whisk

Noun

• haste
• hastiness
• hustle
• precipitation
• precipitousness
• rush

Choose the Right Synonym for hurry

haste, hurry, speed, expedition, dispatch mean quickness in movement or action.

haste applies to personal action and implies urgency and precipitancy and often rashness.

marry in haste

hurry often has a strong suggestion of agitated bustle or confusion.

in the hurry of departure she forgot her toothbrush

speed suggests swift efficiency in movement or action.

exercises to increase your reading speed

expedition and dispatch both imply speed and efficiency in handling affairs but expedition stresses ease or efficiency of performance and dispatch stresses promptness in concluding matters.

the case came to trial with expedition

paid bills with dispatch

Examples of hurry in a Sentence

Verb

Take your time. There's no need to hurry.

She hurried off to her class.

We hurried through the lesson so that we could finish early.

The teacher hurried us through the lesson.

They hurried the children off to bed.

The quarterback was forced to hurry his throw.

Noun

In her hurry to leave she forgot her briefcase.

after all her hurry to get her report done on time, Elizabeth learned that it wasn't due till the following week

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

But hurry, as popular styles are already selling out. —Averi Baudler, People.com, 26 Feb. 2025

Anula hurried across the courtyard, passing the vast garden that curled around the administrative buildings, and skidded to a stop outside the concubine estate. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 20 Feb. 2025

Noun

But that could change in a hurry if USC can’t take care of business against Washington on Wednesday. —Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2025

The movie business may be exclusive, biased, and brutal, but this year’s Oscars — which, for once, were not in a hurry and hardly played anyone off — spun out the illusion that everyone could be an insider, all of us in it together, even those of us watching at home. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

perhaps from Middle English horyen

First Known Use

Verb

1592, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hurry

• hurry it up
• hurry-scurry
• hurry-skurry
• hurry-up
• hurry up and wait
• in a hurry
• in no hurry
• not in any/a hurry

Rhymes for hurry

• blurry
• burry
• currie
• flurry
• furry
• murry
• scurry
• slurry
• worry

Kids Definition

hurry

1 of 2 verb

hur·​ry ˈhər-ē 

ˈhə-rē

hurried; hurrying

1

a

: to carry or cause to go with haste

hurry the child to the hospital

b

: to move or act with haste

had to hurry to arrive in time

2

a

: to urge on to greater speed : prod

b

: to hasten the doing of

hurry a repair job

hurrier noun

hurry

2 of 2 noun

plural hurries

1

: great speed

especially : unnecessary haste

2

: a state of eagerness or urgency : rush