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 For $9 per pass, travelers can breeze through using CLEAR Mobile, a new expedited lane offering speedy security screenings. Dmitry Martirosov, The Courier-Journal, 9 July 2024 Cosmetic chemist Ginger King attributes the product’s speedy setting time to a combination of silica and isododecane (a hydrocarbon that also helps with spreadability). Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure, 8 July 2024 The tri-band Eero Pro 6E (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of the best mesh systems, offering super speedy performance, 6-GHz Wi-Fi (with relatively short range), handy smart home hub functionality, and compatibility with other Eero devices. Simon Hill, WIRED, 6 July 2024 Getting from New York to the Hamptons has always been a challenge, but Blade, which offers speedy seaplanes and helicopters to dodge the traffic, has just gone head-to-head with the legendary Hampton Jitney ($49), its slightly cushier Ambassador ($72) and the Hampton Luxury Liner ($34-$60). Beth Landman, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for speedy 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'speedy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near speedy

Cite this Entry

“Speedy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speedy. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

speedy

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

More from Merriam-Webster on speedy

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