1
2
: firmly loyal
became fast friends
3
a
: characterized by quick motion, operation, or effect:
(1)
: moving or able to move rapidly : swift
a fast horse
(2)
: taking a comparatively short time
a fast race
(3)
: imparting quickness of motion
a fast bowler
(4)
: accomplished quickly
fast work
(5)
: agile of mind
especially
: quick to learn
a class for fast students
b
: conducive to rapidity of play or action
a fast track
c(1)
of a timepiece or weighing device
: indicating in advance of what is correct
Your clock is two minutes fast.
(2)
: according to or being daylight saving time
d
: contributing to a shortening of exposure time
fast film
e
: acquired with unusually little effort and often by shady or dishonest methods
had a keen eye for a fast buck—
R. A. Keith
R. A. Keith4
a
: securely attached
a rope fast to the wharf
b
: tenacious
a fast hold on her purse
5
a
archaic
: sound asleep
b
of sleep
: not easily disturbed
fell into a fast sleep
6
: not fading or changing color readily
fast colors
7
a
: actively seeking excitement and pleasure : wild
a pretty fast crowd
b
: sexually promiscuous
8
: resistant to change (as from destructive action or fading)
fast dyes
—often used in combinationsunfast
acid-fast bacteria
fasted; fasting; fasts
Synonyms
Examples of fast in a Sentence
Adjective
She's a very fast runner.
We're off to a fast start.
We're now experiencing a faster rate of inflation.
We took the faster route.
Adverb
The boss expects this to be done this afternoon, so you'd better work fast.
He ran as fast as he could.
This is fast becoming a national problem.
You need to act fast to take advantage of this offer.
I don't know what caused the accident. It all happened so fast.
She's a woman who can think fast in a crisis.
He's going to have to talk fast to get himself out of this mess.
The window was stuck fast.
She held fast to her belief in justice.
We must stand fast and not surrender!
Verb
She always fasts on Yom Kippur.
Patients must fast for six hours before having the procedure.
Recent Examples on the WebAngel Saunders, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
Black and Latino Americans are more likely to live in lower-income neighborhoods, where fast food is usually cheaper and more convenient than grocery stores.
—Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
But while their desire for an alternative is understandable, once the country was reunified under communism, retribution against the South was fast and harsh.
—Nick Hilden, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2024
These along with the side zipper make getting in and out of the overalls super easy and fast.
—Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2024
Rounds 4-5 BONUS: Nehemiah Pritchett (Sr., Auburn, 6-0, 190)
Pritchett is long, lean, and extremely fast.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
California raised its minimum wage for fast food workers to how much?
4.
—CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
The minimum wage law that took effect Monday guarantees at least $20-per-hour for workers at fast food restaurant chains with at least 60 locations nationwide.
—Adam Beam, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
There’s no fast and hard rule about when to replace a kitchen trash can.
—Andrea Wurzburger, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2024
Diana Goetsch, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024
The 2025 iteration sees an increase in range, faster charging, more power, and more standard features compared to its predecessors—essentially, everything the owner of a 2024 Taycan doesn’t want to hear.
—Peter Bleakney, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2024
The air in that core was probably rising at speeds of 40 to 50 mph or faster.
—Dan Stillman, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
The images start coming faster: Bishop (Emily Wickersham) and Sloan (Maria Bello).
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 16 Apr. 2024
Even the live streaming options for in-play events load fast and fit in the UI without feeling tacked on.
—Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024
Users simply plug the Deeper Connect Pico into their laptop or tablet to enjoy features like a seven-layer firewall and an ad blocker that can make your browsing experience faster as well as safer.
—Stackcommerce Team, PCMAG, 15 Apr. 2024
So the ice was broken pretty fast with Miss Mckenna.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2024
That means the population and the labor force have grown faster than statistical agencies and economists like us believed.
—Wendy Edelberg and Tara Watson, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Cole Kazdin, TIME, 16 Apr. 2024
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, and spend time in self-reflection and prayer.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan — the holiest month in the Islamic calendar when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from food and drink.
—The Enquirer, 9 Apr. 2024
Palestinians shop for Eid al-Fitr, the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, in Rafah today.
—NBC News, 9 Apr. 2024
According to the Islamic Society of North America, if a sighting of the crescent moon is not possible at that particular time, the month will come to a close after 30 days of fasting.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
This medication has shown promise in managing markers of fasting blood sugar levels, and hemoglobin A1c with people who have Type 2 diabetes.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2024
Good Friday is a day of fasting within the Catholic church.
—Jason Rossi, The Enquirer, 29 Mar. 2024
Saint Catherine, who fasted almost unto death, was said to be revived after drinking blood from the side wound of Jesus.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
After breaking the fast, attendees listened to a presentation by Donna Nevel, co-director of nonprofit PARCEO, an education center that offers workshops on participatory action research or PAR, a collective research and organizing model that aims to build community and make change.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
These outdoor iftar factories, where the cooks prepare a charity meal to break the fast at sunset, are in Bedford-Stuyvesant, one of New York City’s most rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods.
—Liam Stack Stephanie Keith, New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Nothing like a little breakfast outing to break a fast.
—Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2024
There are spiritually rich and observant ways to worship that include delaying or forgoing a fast.
—Azmia Ricchuito, SELF, 7 Mar. 2024
Across the Gaza Strip, families like hers are breaking their daylong fasts with dates, cans of fava beans, or soup handed out as aid.
—Ghada Abdulfattah, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Apr. 2024
When sunset arrived and the Maghrib prayer time sounded, signaling the time to break their fast, the family gathered around.
—Marwa Mouaki, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2024
In the north, people are forced to forage for wild plants during the day to break their fast at night.
—NBC News, 16 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The young athlete is fast on her way to achieving her goals.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
Black and Latino Americans are more likely to live in lower-income neighborhoods, where fast food is usually cheaper and more convenient than grocery stores.
—Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
But while their desire for an alternative is understandable, once the country was reunified under communism, retribution against the South was fast and harsh.
—Nick Hilden, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2024
These along with the side zipper make getting in and out of the overalls super easy and fast.
—Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2024
Rounds 4-5 BONUS: Nehemiah Pritchett (Sr., Auburn, 6-0, 190)
Pritchett is long, lean, and extremely fast.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
California raised its minimum wage for fast food workers to how much?
4.
—CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
The minimum wage law that took effect Monday guarantees at least $20-per-hour for workers at fast food restaurant chains with at least 60 locations nationwide.
—Adam Beam, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
There’s no fast and hard rule about when to replace a kitchen trash can.
—Andrea Wurzburger, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2024
Adverb
The event room was filling up fast, despite the fact that library director Mara Strickler held off on posting my visit to social media until three days before, opting instead for a word-of-mouth campaign.
—Diana Goetsch, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024
The 2025 iteration sees an increase in range, faster charging, more power, and more standard features compared to its predecessors—essentially, everything the owner of a 2024 Taycan doesn’t want to hear.
—Peter Bleakney, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2024
The air in that core was probably rising at speeds of 40 to 50 mph or faster.
—Dan Stillman, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
The images start coming faster: Bishop (Emily Wickersham) and Sloan (Maria Bello).
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 16 Apr. 2024
Even the live streaming options for in-play events load fast and fit in the UI without feeling tacked on.
—Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024
Users simply plug the Deeper Connect Pico into their laptop or tablet to enjoy features like a seven-layer firewall and an ad blocker that can make your browsing experience faster as well as safer.
—Stackcommerce Team, PCMAG, 15 Apr. 2024
So the ice was broken pretty fast with Miss Mckenna.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2024
That means the population and the labor force have grown faster than statistical agencies and economists like us believed.
—Wendy Edelberg and Tara Watson, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Verb
Binge eating often emerges as part of a cycle of restriction—dieting, fasting, or eliminating entire food groups—like carbs, for example.
—Cole Kazdin, TIME, 16 Apr. 2024
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, and spend time in self-reflection and prayer.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan — the holiest month in the Islamic calendar when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from food and drink.
—The Enquirer, 9 Apr. 2024
Palestinians shop for Eid al-Fitr, the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, in Rafah today.
—NBC News, 9 Apr. 2024
According to the Islamic Society of North America, if a sighting of the crescent moon is not possible at that particular time, the month will come to a close after 30 days of fasting.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
This medication has shown promise in managing markers of fasting blood sugar levels, and hemoglobin A1c with people who have Type 2 diabetes.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2024
Good Friday is a day of fasting within the Catholic church.
—Jason Rossi, The Enquirer, 29 Mar. 2024
Saint Catherine, who fasted almost unto death, was said to be revived after drinking blood from the side wound of Jesus.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
Noun
The holiday is Arabic for the celebration of breaking the fast.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
After breaking the fast, attendees listened to a presentation by Donna Nevel, co-director of nonprofit PARCEO, an education center that offers workshops on participatory action research or PAR, a collective research and organizing model that aims to build community and make change.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
These outdoor iftar factories, where the cooks prepare a charity meal to break the fast at sunset, are in Bedford-Stuyvesant, one of New York City’s most rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods.
—Liam Stack Stephanie Keith, New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Nothing like a little breakfast outing to break a fast.
—Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2024
There are spiritually rich and observant ways to worship that include delaying or forgoing a fast.
—Azmia Ricchuito, SELF, 7 Mar. 2024
Across the Gaza Strip, families like hers are breaking their daylong fasts with dates, cans of fava beans, or soup handed out as aid.
—Ghada Abdulfattah, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Apr. 2024
When sunset arrived and the Maghrib prayer time sounded, signaling the time to break their fast, the family gathered around.
—Marwa Mouaki, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2024
In the north, people are forced to forage for wild plants during the day to break their fast at night.
—NBC News, 16 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fast.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to fast
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Cite this Entry
“Fast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fast. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fast
1 of 4 adjective1
a
: firmly fixed or bound
b
: tightly shut
c
: sticking firmly
2
: firmly loyal
became fast friends
3
a
: moving or able to move rapidly
b
: taking a short time
c
: giving quickness of motion (as to a thrown ball)
d
: favorable to speed
the faster route
4
: indicating ahead of the correct time
my clock is fast
5
: tricky and unfair
pulled a fast one
6
: not likely to fade
fast colors
fast
3 of 4 verb1
: to go without eating
2
: to eat in small amounts or only certain foods
fast
4 of 4 noun1
: the act of fasting
2
: a time of fasting
Etymology
Adjective
Old English fæst "firmly fixed"
Verb
Old English fæstan "to go without eating"
Medical Definition
fast
1 of 3 adjective1
: firmly fixed
2
a
: having a rapid effect
a fast medicine
b
: allowing for the rapid passage of a gas or liquid
3
: resistant to change (as from destructive action)
—used chiefly of organisms and in combination with the agent resisted
acid-fast bacteria
fast
2 of 3 intransitive verb1
: to abstain from food
2
: to eat sparingly or abstain from some foods
: to deny food to
the patient is fasted and given a mild hypnotic—Lancet
Lancetfast
3 of 3 noun1
: the practice of fasting
2
: a time of fasting
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