speed

1 of 2

noun

ˈspēd 

1

a

: rate of motion: such as

(1)

: velocity sense 1

(2)

: the magnitude of a velocity irrespective of direction

b

: the act or state of moving swiftly : swiftness

c

: impetus

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

ˈspēd-stər 

noun

speed

2 of 2

verb

sped ˈsped  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

: fast, rapidly

up to speed

: operating at full effectiveness or potential

Synonyms

Noun

• velocity
• rate

Verb

• race
• hurry
• travel
• rush
• drive
• fly
• trot
• zip
• scurry
• chase
• jump
• run
• buzz
• blow
• scoot

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 solar wind smashes into the leading edge of Earth’s magnetosphere with supersonic speed, creating a shockwave that can come closer than one hundred thousand kilometers to the planet’s illuminated side. —Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025

The contract was awarded at a time when the world was racing to field missiles that could change direction while traveling at several times the speed of sound. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2025

Verb

Once the truck begins driving straight, the beige SUV speeds up and slams into the truck’s back-left side. —Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025

These are supposed to speed up one’s recovery from symptoms. —Lucinda Rosenfeld, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025

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

Phrases Containing speed

• at full/top speed
• at lightning speed
• cruising speed
• full steam/speed ahead
• going full speed ahead
• ground speed
• high-speed
• light speed
• off-speed
• pick up speed/momentum
• speed bump
• speed dating
• speed demon
• speed dial
• speed freak
• speed limit
• speed merchant
• speed of light
• speed-reading
• speed run
• speed shop
• speed skating
• speed trap
• ten-speed
• turn of speed
• warp speed

Rhymes for speed

• bead
• bleed
• brede
• breed
• cede
• creed
• deed
• feed
• freed
• greed
• heed
• keyed

Kids Definition

speed

1 of 2 noun

ˈspēd 

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  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

ˈspēd 

: methamphetamine

also : a related stimulant drug and especially an amphetamine