rapid-fire

adjective

rap·​id-fire ˌra-pəd-ˈfī(-ə)r 

1

: firing or adapted for firing shots in rapid succession

2

: marked by rapidity, liveliness, or sharpness

a comedian with a rapid-fire delivery

Synonyms of rapid-fire

• rapid
• brisk
• quick
• fast
• galloping

Examples of rapid-fire in a Sentence

the witness stayed unruffled all through the prosecutor's rapid-fire questioning

Recent Examples on the Web

With Taylor, their vibrant personalities were so aligned the conversation flowed at a rapid-fire pace. — Kyle Eustice, SPIN, 18 Aug. 2026

Through rapid-fire verbal repartee, constant close-ups, and frantic cuts, Deramas treads a careful line between tragedy and comedy, the latter a psychological weapon against the former. — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026

Lindsey Graham's death in July sparked a rapid-fire campaign season. — Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026

Just remember that Mercury, Gemini’s ruler, is still in Cancer, so beneath all the clever observations and rapid-fire conversations, feelings and intuition are still driving the narrative. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rapid-fire

• mcintire
• admire
• afire
• aspire
• backfire
• esquire
• expire
• haywire
• hellfire
• inquire
• inspire
• newswire

Kids Definition

rapid-fire

adjective

rap·​id-fire

ˌrap-əd-ˈfī(ə)r

1

: able to fire shots rapidly

a rapid-fire weapon

2

: marked by a rapid rate or pace

spoke rapid-fire Spanish