hasty

adjective

\ ˈhā-stē

hastier; hastiest

Definition of hasty

1a archaic : rapid in action or movement : speedy

b : done or made in a hurry hasty city-street snapshots— R. B. Heilman

c : fast and typically superficial made a hasty examination of the wound

2 : acting too quickly : overly eager or impatient realized he had been hasty in quitting his job

3 : exhibiting a lack of careful thought or consideration : precipitate, rash We don't want to make any hasty decisions.

4 : prone to anger : irritable a hasty temperment

Other Words from hasty Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about hasty

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Choose the Right Synonym for hasty

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 hasty in a Sentence

I made a hasty sketch of the scene. Seeing the dog, the cat made a hasty retreat up a tree. We don't want to make any hasty decisions. He later realized that he was too hasty in his decision to quit.

Recent Examples on the Web

According to officials familiar with the preparations for the meeting, that team, including CIA chief Mike Pompeo, who has been nominated to be secretary of state, strongly advised against a hasty withdrawal from Syria. — Andrew O'reilly, Fox News, "White House: US mission in Syria coming to 'rapid end'," 2 Oct. 2018 Lynette Yiadom-Boakye contributes half a dozen fictional portraits with, as usual, psychological acuity but overly hasty brushwork. — Jason Farago, New York Times, "At the Berlin Biennale, the Art of Saying ‘No’," 12 June 2018 Accusations have included hasty automated evictions, delayed or ignored maintenance requests, squalid living conditions, unchecked bug infestations, and automated annual rent increases. — Jeff Andrews, Curbed, "Single-family rental companies turn to Opendoor, Offerpad for new inventory," 3 Dec. 2018 In a game built on chaos, the star running back rarely hurries or makes hasty decisions. — Will Graves, The Seattle Times, "Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell refuses to sign tag, out for 2018," 14 Nov. 2018 Those seem like hasty, sweeping judgments under the circumstances. — Adrian Walker, BostonGlobe.com, "Mayor Walsh says a strong UMass Boston is critical, and offers to help," 23 May 2018 But, before tiny hands commence with hasty package ripping, the actual gifts—and the recipients—must be considered. — Vogue, "Day 9: Impress the Under-10 Crowd," 12 Nov. 2018 Washington will be reluctant to grant hasty concessions given North Korea's poor record during a quarter-century of on-off nuclear negotiations in following through on its promises. — Matthew Pennington, Fox News, "North Korea's offer of concessions comes with a catch for US," 20 Sep. 2018 The next day the Yukon was gone, and cinder blocks from a retaining wall were scattered about the driveway, hinting at a hasty departure. — Lauren Smiley, Glamour, "Two White Moms. Six Black Kids. One Unthinkable Tragedy. A Look Inside the ‘Perfect’ Hart Family," 6 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hasty.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.