speedier; speediest
: marked by swiftness of motion or action
speedily adverb
speediness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for speedy

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 speedy in a Sentence

They wished her a speedy recovery. a speedy worker but not a very careful one, unfortunately
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Flavored with Southern favorites like Old Bay seasoning and Worcestershire sauce, these speedy shrimp bowls come together in no time. Josh Miller, Southern Living, 29 Oct. 2025 The return of Worthy from an injury and Rice from a six-game suspension has allowed Kelce to thrive with the space those speedy receivers make for him. Ben Morse, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025 The speedy wide receiver scored on a 35-yard end-around against UNLV earlier this month, and scored on a 20-yard run on a similar play against Eastern Washington. Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 28 Oct. 2025 Sunday, Anderson zipped past McKivitz and drilled Jones on a third-down incompletion for a speedy 3-and-out after halftime, keeping the 49ers behind 16-7. Cam Inman, Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for speedy

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of speedy was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Speedy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speedy. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

speedy

adjective
speedier; speediest
: moving or taking place fast
speedily adverb
speediness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on speedy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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