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.
Isaacman’s confirmation hearing - set to be live-streamed and chaired by Senator Ted Cruz, a powerful booster of NASA’s space advances - could lead to speedy approval by the full Senate for his ascent to head the globe’s premier aerospace agency. Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025 While officials insisted all 200-plus deportees who were sent to El Salvador on March 15 were members of the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), the AEA allowed speedy removal without a court hearing. Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025 Leading up to the Pens game, the speedy rookie had had five shots on goal on the penalty kill, indicative of his talent for breakaways. Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2025 But thanks to waves generated by speedy river ferries, the concrete is now breaking up, and Cobden-Sanderson’s typeface is reappearing. Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Apr. 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 16 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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