speed

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: rate of motion: such as
(2)
: the magnitude of a velocity irrespective of direction
b
: the act or state of moving swiftly : swiftness
c
2
: swiftness or rate of performance or action : velocity sense 3a
3
a
: the sensitivity of a photographic film, plate, or paper expressed numerically
b
: the time during which a camera shutter is open
c
: the light-gathering power of a lens or optical system
4
: a transmission gear in automotive vehicles or bicycles
usually used in combination
a ten-speed bicycle
5
: someone or something that appeals to one's taste
just my speed
6
: methamphetamine
also : a related stimulant drug and especially an amphetamine
7
archaic : prosperity in an undertaking : success
speedster noun

speed

2 of 2

verb

sped ˈsped How to pronounce speed (audio) or speeded; speeding

intransitive verb

1
a
: to make haste
sped to her bedside
b
: to go or drive at excessive or illegal speed
2
: to move, work, or take place faster : accelerate
the heart speeds up
3
a
archaic : to prosper in an undertaking
b
archaic : get along, fare

transitive verb

1
a
: to cause to move quickly : hasten
b
: to increase the speed of : accelerate
c
: to wish Godspeed to
2
a
: to further the success of
b
archaic : to cause or help to prosper : aid
3
: to send out
speed an arrow
speeder noun
Phrases
at speed
chiefly British
up to speed
: operating at full effectiveness or potential
Choose the Right Synonym for speed

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 speed in a Sentence

Noun This instrument measures wind speed. The machine was operating at high speed. traveling at nearly the speed of light Under the right conditions the car can reach speeds over 200 miles an hour. The vehicle maintained a speed of 40 miles per hour. The work was done with remarkable speed. This computer works at a much faster processing speed than my old one. The machine chops up tree branches and leaves with speed and ease. Verb A group of kids sped past us on their bikes. They jumped in the car and sped away. A car was speeding down the street. An ambulance sped her to the hospital. I got pulled over twice last month because I was speeding on the highway.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The road is a similar length as Finch Ave, but has four speed tables and one intersection with three-way stop signs. Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2024 The findings also reveal the speed with which early forests developed, said Davies. Jack Guy, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024 The investigation determined Elena Marie Rodriguez and Huckaby were racing intermittently northbound on 43rd Avenue at speeds ranging from 90 mph to 116 mph. The Arizona Republic, 9 Mar. 2024 The robot uses proprietary human etiquette algorithms, depth cameras, and 4D radar and is optimized for detecting and predicting human behavior while operating at pedestrian speeds. Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 Prosecutors also said Cruz and Gomez had operated the vessel at a high rate of speed while a small craft advisory was in effect due to high winds and heavy seas. USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 When that legislation was first implemented, regulators across the 27-nation bloc were able to weigh in on EU-wide cases before a watchdog issued a final decision, leading to tensions over jurisdiction and speed. Stephanie Bodoni, Fortune Europe, 8 Mar. 2024 The vehicles can operate in inclement weather, rain and fog, with speeds up to 65 mph. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Embedded finance helps customers to complete their journeys with maximum speed and minimum fuss. Rupert Lee-Browne, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
Verb
The randomness of where the ball might end up forced the players to slam on the brakes or speed up at a high rate. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024 The pair was seen speeding off on their own motorcycles in an agave field — while not wearing any pants. Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 Another technique to speed up a banana's ripening is to place it in a paper bag with another ethylene-producing fruit. USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024 Christopher Bell sped on pit road after the caution for his tire. Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2024 In the beginning of the video, laughing can be heard, and the tourist appears happy to have their hair blowing in the wind while the tour boat operated by Thriller Miami Speedboat Adventures was speeding through the water. Pilar Arias, Fox News, 3 Mar. 2024 In a governance environment where adaptability and swift decision-making are crucial, co-CEO’s could slow things down, or speed things up, or offer more refreshing and pragmatic impacts on a business. Dean Debiase, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 And while some of those changes have been sped up by the pandemic, the demographics alone help to explain why today’s economy is performing in often surprising ways. Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 Newer methods try to speed up the use of AIOps by blending AI insights that people can easily understand with a simpler user interface. Dave Link, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'speed.' 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

Noun

Middle English sped, speede, spede "luck, fortune, good fortune, success, assistance, benefit, rate of motion or progress," going back to Old English spēd "luck, success, riches, opportunity, power," spēdum (dative plural used adverbially) "swiftly," going back to West Germanic *spōdi- (whence also Old Saxon spōd "success, advantage," Middle Dutch spoed "prosperity, progress, haste," Old High German spuot "quickness, velocity"), derivative with the abstract noun suffix -ti- from the base of *spōan- "to succeed" (whence Old English spōwan "to succeed, thrive" [Class VII strong verb], Middle Dutch spoen "to strive," Old High German spuoen "to succeed"), going back to an o-grade derivative of the Indo-European verbal base *speh1- "thrive, prosper," whence also Old Church Slavic spějǫ, spěti "to have success," Lithuanian spė́ju, spė́ti "to manage (to do something)," Sanskrit sphā́yate "(s/he) grows fat, increases," Hittite išpāi "(s/he) gets full, is satiated"; as nominal derivatives Latin spēs "hope" (< *speh1-), Latin prosperus "agreeable to one's wishes, successful, prosperous," Old Russian sporŭ "abundant," Sanskrit sphiráḥ "fat" (< *sph1-ró-)

Verb

Middle English speden "to succeed, fare, assist, travel swiftly," going back to Old English spēdan, gespēdan "to have success, succeed, prosper," verbal derivative of spēd "luck, success" — more at speed entry 1

Note: Parallel Germanic formations are Old Saxon spōdian "to further, promote" and Old High German gispuoten "to make thrive."

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3a

Time Traveler
The first known use of speed was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near speed

Cite this Entry

“Speed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speed. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

speed

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: the act or state of moving swiftly : swiftness
b
: rate of motion : velocity
2
: quickness in movement or action
3
: a transmission gear in motor vehicles or bicycles
a 10-speed bicycle
4
: methamphetamine
also : a related drug

speed

2 of 2 verb
sped ˈsped How to pronounce speed (audio) or speeded; speeding
1
a
: to move or cause to move fast
b
: to go or drive at too high a speed
2
: to increase the speed of : accelerate
often used with up

Medical Definition

speed

noun
: methamphetamine
also : a related stimulant drug and especially an amphetamine

More from Merriam-Webster on speed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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