fleet 1 of 2

as in convoy
a group of vehicles traveling together or under one management a fleet of buses rolling down the highway

Synonyms & Similar Words

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fleet

2 of 2

adjective

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective fleet contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of fleet are expeditious, fast, hasty, quick, rapid, speedy, and swift. While all these words mean "moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity," fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

When could expeditious be used to replace fleet?

In some situations, the words expeditious and fleet are roughly equivalent. However, expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.

the expeditious handling of an order

How are the words fast and rapid related as synonyms of fleet?

Both fast and rapid are very close in meaning, but fast applies particularly to the thing that moves.

fast horses

When is it sensible to use hasty instead of fleet?

While in some cases nearly identical to fleet, hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.

a hasty inspection

When would quick be a good substitute for fleet?

The meanings of quick and fleet largely overlap; however, quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

When can rapid be used instead of fleet?

The synonyms rapid and fleet are sometimes interchangeable, but rapid applies to the movement itself, rather than to the thing that moves.

rapid current

In what contexts can speedy take the place of fleet?

Although the words speedy and fleet have much in common, speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment and may also suggest unusual velocity.

speedy delivery of mail

Where would swift be a reasonable alternative to fleet?

The words swift and fleet can be used in similar contexts, but swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement.

returned the ball with one swift stroke

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fleet
Noun
This marked the 21st flight for the first-stage booster, the most in the booster fleet, having previously flown on human spaceflight missions Inspiration4 and Axiom Space’s Ax-1 among others. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2025 The Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District has added new vehicles to its fleet to better serve the community. Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Her star-wattage smile sets the tone for the friendly, fleet front-of-house staff. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2024 Car rental companies divested themselves of many of their fleet cars in the early days of the pandemic, and were not able to quickly replenish them due to microchip shortages and supply chain problems among automakers. William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 23 Aug. 2023 See All Example Sentences for fleet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fleet
Noun
  • The Israel Defense Forces originally claimed the convoy was moving suspiciously, without headlights or flashing lights, toward Israeli troops and that members of the emergency teams were militants.
    Jade Walker, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Then on Saturday morning, Jihan saw a convoy of gunmen set her neighbor’s house aflame on the outskirts of al-Qusour neighborhood.
    Christina Goldbaum, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The organization urged community members to report immigration enforcement to the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice’s rapid response hotline at (909) 361-4588.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
  • These bases are considered critical for Israel's rapid response capabilities and national defense.
    Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Yet the size of the Kremlin’s ICBM armada is many times larger, say the worldwide nuclear weapons monitors at the Federation of American Scientists.
    Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
  • The armada includes a basket on wheels that can collect rebounds and pass balls to players, other robots that can stand in as defenders and a collection of Spot robots from Boston Dynamics.
    Ina Fried, Axios, 18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Jack and Kate’s problems are more subtle and slow to emerge than the other pairs’; with brisk, half-hour episodes, this sometimes manifests in their tensions being spelled out rather than shown.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 1 May 2025
  • Challenge yourself to make the transitions as smooth as possible, picking up the pace toward the end of your walk to seamlessly progress into the run, then dialing it back over the last few seconds of your run to ease back into a brisk walk.
    Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Just enjoy the 60-plus bands on 10 stages or the caravan of food trucks that’ll be parked on South First Street between San Salvador and Reed streets.
    Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Trump’s campaign promises were often excellent — for instance, his pledge to end the caravans of migrants illegally crashing through our southern border.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Wesley Watson, 84, was killed in a three-car crash near a fast food restaurant in Concord, a little before 6 p.m. on Aug. 18, 2022.
    Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 28 Apr. 2025
  • There are two drying modes on offer: fast and quiet.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The mental health therapy flotilla currently afloat is not prepared to handle it and is barely keeping above water as is.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • During the Chinese naval voyage, an Australian military official told local media that the Chinese flotilla likely deployed with a nuclear-powered submarine.
    David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Ivanka posted a video and pictures to her social media platforms on Monday following the celebration, during which Theo and Barkley had a quick game of catch while running around the area.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Instead, Gagliardi recommends running a quick wash cycle and adding a product like Clorox® Laundry Sanitizer, which can squash the odor-causing bacteria lurking in your damp laundry.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fleet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fleet. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

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