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 WebAnd if a speedy outfielder asks for a green light on the bases, like Vanderbilt star RJ Austin did before a recent game, the answer is no.—Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2024 Still, there’s no guarantee that the speedy cornerback will be automatically plugged in as a starter on the outside.—Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 20 July 2024 The brighter inner screen is a joy to use outside in sunlight, improved internals enable speedier performance, and a more durable design keeps the phone safe from the perils of everyday life.—PCMAG, 19 July 2024 So much of the show is about traveling and walking, and Cooke and his choreographer Bill Deamer use the moving walkway to speedy comic and dramatic effect.—David Benedict, Variety, 19 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for speedy
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'speedy.' 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
Middle English spedi "beneficial, unencumbered, agile, prompt," from sped "luck, success, assistance, rate of progress" + -i-y entry 1 — more at speed entry 1
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