fast 1 of 4

adverb

Definition of fastnext
1
as in quickly
with great speed run as fast as you can to get help

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in quite
to a full extent or degree everyone in camp was fast asleep within minutes of hitting the sack

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fast

2 of 4

adjective

ˈfast How to pronounce fast (audio)
1
as in rapid
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed the fast pace of construction resulted in our new house being done ahead of schedule

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2
as in loyal
firm in one's allegiance to someone or something the two girls soon became fast and inseparable friends

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3
as in tight
firmly positioned in place and difficult to dislodge the rusty, old screws are so fast in the fitting that there's no hope of getting them out

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4
as in deceptive
given to or marked by cheating and deception rolling back odometers was just one of the fast practices that the used-car dealer was guilty of

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5
as in sturdy
marked by the ability to withstand stress without structural damage or distortion as the storm approached, we checked to see that every thing on the outside of the house was fast and locked in position

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6
as in short
not lasting for a considerable time after a fast explanation of the procedure, we were turned loose to do the work

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7
as in quick
having or showing quickness of mind I don't know how to operate this machine, but I'm a fast learner

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fast

3 of 4

noun

as in famine

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fast

4 of 4

verb

as in to diet

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Try This Instead Try This Instead

For
Try This
a fast response
a quick response
a timely response
a speedy response
a rapid response
a same-day response
a fast pace
an accelerated pace
a swift pace
a rapid pace
a quick pace
a frantic pace
a fast track
a focused track
an expeditious track
a quick track
a rapid track
an advanced track
a fast service
a quick-response service
an efficient service
a prompt service
an instant service
a timely service
a fast growth
a rapid growth
a drastic growth
a swift growth
a sharp growth
a strong growth

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective fast contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of fast are expeditious, fleet, hasty, quick, rapid, speedy, and swift. While all these words 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

When can expeditious be used instead of fast?

The words expeditious and fast are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.

the expeditious handling of an order

When is it sensible to use fleet instead of fast?

While the synonyms fleet and fast are close in meaning, fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

In what contexts can hasty take the place of fast?

Although the words hasty and fast have much in common, hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.

a hasty inspection

When would quick be a good substitute for fast?

In some situations, the words quick and fast are roughly equivalent. However, quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

When might rapid be a better fit than fast?

The meanings of rapid and fast largely overlap; however, rapid applies to the movement itself, rather than to the thing that moves.

rapid current

When is speedy a more appropriate choice than fast?

The words speedy and fast can be used in similar contexts, but speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment and may also suggest unusual velocity.

speedy delivery of mail

When could swift be used to replace fast?

While in some cases nearly identical to fast, swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement.

returned the ball with one swift stroke

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fast
Adverb
Meanwhile, two council members — Rodriguez and Traci Park — say the council is not moving fast enough in preparing another 2026 bond measure to build or repair fire stations. — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2025 Moving fast and breaking things may be an acceptable way to conduct business at a tech company. — Brian Schatz, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
State of play: Interstate 70 is getting a direct connection to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which means motorists will no longer have to detour onto surface streets and the scores of convenience stores, fast food joints and gas stations in Breezewood. — Ryan Deto, Axios, 27 Feb. 2025 Unlike Season 47 that thrived after a slow burn of getting to know the players, Probst said Season 48 has a quicker pace filled with players that are fast, funny and ready to play. — Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
Pastor Jamal-Harrison Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia and an activist and author, has called on the faith community to start a 40-day fast from shopping at Target during Lent starting on March 5, which is Ash Wednesday. — Betty Lin-Fisher, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025 Its long-term vision includes creating sustainable all-climate fast charging batteries capable of operating efficiently in both low- and high-temperature environments. — William Mullane, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
Verb
These practices might be religious, like praying or fasting; or secular, like going for a walk in the woods or writing in your journal. — Ruth Tam, NPR, 27 Feb. 2025 According to his wife’s account, Walker would fast periodically, and then would have visions. — Hilarie M. Sheets, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fast
  1. quite
  2. rapid
  3. loyal
  4. tight
  5. deceptive
  6. sturdy
  7. short
  8. quick
Adverb
  • While millions of adults celebrate St. Patrick's Day with feasts, parades, songs, and dance—no one celebrates the holiday quite like children.
    — Nicole Harris, Parents, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Many of these movies no longer feel quite so shocking, their tropes now absorbed into mainstream horror.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of quite
Adjective
  • Zheng struck a defiant tone at the news conference, hailing China’s rapid development in microchips and AI large language models as well as industrial and humanoid robots.
    — Nectar Gan, CNN, 6 Mar. 2025
  • When trained on enterprise-specific, high-fidelity 3D assets, physical intelligence has the potential to enable the visualization and analysis of intricate interactions between technical components, facilitating rapid iterations and optimizations.
    — Alexandre de Vigan, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of rapid
Adjective
  • Retribution killings between Sunnis and Alawites The revenge killings that started Friday by Sunni Muslim gunmen loyal to the government against members of Assad’s minority Alawite sect are a major blow to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the faction that led the overthrow of the former government.
    — Sarah El Deeb, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Meanwhile, militants loyal to Assad have killed a further 147 people – 26 civilians and 121 security forces – SNHR’s director Fadel Abdul Ghani said.
    — Eyad Kourdi, CNN, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of loyal
Adjective
  • Volusion differentiates itself from other services in the crowded e-commerce field by offering many useful tools and features, including an easy-to-use website builder, rich tutorials that walk you through its many options, and tight Google search integration.
    — Robert Anderson, PCMAG, 27 Feb. 2025
  • The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) forecasts a modest 0.2 percent increase in single-family home builds to start in 2025, but notes that regulatory hurdles, construction costs and tight lending conditions could slow further expansion.
    — David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of tight
Adjective
  • Burrowes’ new fraud lawsuit also includes claims for unjust enrichment and deceptive business practices.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken some steps to regulate the collection of data in vehicles, focusing on consumer protection and preventing deceptive practices.
    — Eric Reicin, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
Definition of deceptive
Adjective
  • Potassium helps produce sturdy plants and increases plants’ resistance to stress but overapplication of potassium (and too much of any nutrient) can cause other necessary nutrients to become unavailable to the plant.
    — Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2025
  • The containers are 100 percent leakproof, dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe, and crafted from sturdy plastic that’s stain-resistant and lightweight.
    — Maggie Horton, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of sturdy
Adjective
  • He was injured almost immediately in the fall of 2018 and didn’t return until February; by that time Cleveland was already in stage 1 of a painful (but, ultimately, short) rebuild.
    — Joe Vardon, The Athletic, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Some knobby with new growth, some short or gigantic, some suffering or shrunken, some reaching over paths and roads.
    — Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of short
Adjective
  • LeCroy was quick to comfort him—though every mom watching recognized the protective Mama Bear look in her eyes.
    — Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Snagging a deal on Woot is about being quick, as these deals don't stick for long, disappearing as soon as stock runs out (which is usually pretty quick).
    — Gabriela Vatu, PCMAG, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of quick

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Cite this Entry

“Fast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fast. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fast

Nglish: Translation of fast for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fast

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