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

This past weekend, families, dragging wheelie bags and carrying blankets, were hurrying in both directions. —Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2024

Kraven the Hunter couldn’t be hurried along in reshoots and rewrites. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 15 Dec. 2024

Noun

On a recent night, the Syrian American activist is in a hurry to get on the road. —Claire Harbage, NPR, 17 Dec. 2024

That salary could triple in a hurry once the pitcher becomes eligible for arbitration. —Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024

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

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