speedier; speediest
: marked by swiftness of motion or action
speedily adverb
speediness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for speedy

fast, rapid, swift, fleet, quick, speedy, hasty, expeditious mean moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity.

fast and rapid are very close in meaning, but fast applies particularly to the thing that moves

fast horses

and rapid to the movement itself.

rapid current

swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement.

returned the ball with one swift stroke

fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment

speedy delivery of mail

and may also suggest unusual velocity.

hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.

a hasty inspection

expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.

the expeditious handling of an order

Examples of speedy in a Sentence

They wished her a speedy recovery. a speedy worker but not a very careful one, unfortunately
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Breezing with dispatch around the speedy Neoequos and Madaket Road, who had been a pacesetters up the backstretch, Tappan Street took his almost electrically precise stride well outside the fading duelists to lay down his burst of power. Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025 Several Hawks couldn’t say for sure who’s the speediest. Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025 Cora pinch-ran for Campbell with the speedy David Hamilton, further pressuring the defense. Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 When dangerous lapses in judgment and privacy breaches occur in the business world, speedy investigations lead to prompt discipline and systemic repairs. Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for speedy

Word History

Etymology

Middle English spedi "beneficial, unencumbered, agile, prompt," from sped "luck, success, assistance, rate of progress" + -i -y entry 1 — more at speed entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of speedy was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Speedy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speedy. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

speedy

adjective
speedier; speediest
: moving or taking place fast
speedily adverb
speediness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on speedy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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