hastiness 1 of 2

hasty

2 of 2

adjective

1
2

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective hasty contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of hasty are expeditious, fast, fleet, quick, rapid, speedy, and swift. While all these words mean "moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity," hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.

a hasty inspection

When is expeditious a more appropriate choice than hasty?

The words expeditious and hasty can be used in similar contexts, but 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 hasty?

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

fast horses

When could fleet be used to replace hasty?

In some situations, the words fleet and hasty are roughly equivalent. However, fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

When would quick be a good substitute for hasty?

Although the words quick and hasty have much in common, quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

When can rapid be used instead of hasty?

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

rapid current

When is it sensible to use speedy instead of hasty?

While in some cases nearly identical to hasty, speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment and may also suggest unusual velocity.

speedy delivery of mail

Where would swift be a reasonable alternative to hasty?

While the synonyms swift and hasty are close in meaning, 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 hastiness
Adjective
Stewart’s return partly answered the question of who would host The Daily Show, a question that had been asked for well over a year after Noah’s hasty departure. Peter White, Deadline, 6 June 2025 And the White House thinks now is a good time to drop everything and do a hasty bilateral trade deal? Trade agreements are wildly complicated affairs in the best of times, taking several months, even years. William Pesek, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025 But hasty responses can backfire, with organizations learning the hard way that maintaining trust is far easier than rebuilding it once it’s been lost. Lynn Godfrey, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025 Out West, where the mood is presumably less colored by existential dread, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the must-see Thunder take on Anthony Edwards and a Timberwolves team that hopes to make everyone forget their hasty exit from last year’s Conference Final. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for hastiness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hastiness
Noun
  • Rather, Lucy’s choice of John feels sneakily practical in its way—a reprieve from the hustle, the quest for materially remunerative love that only ever feels like work.
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
  • The solution is a complete transition from hustle to alignment.
    Drew Gerber, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • And the hurried pace of the deportations has ignored due process, experts and advocates say.
    Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 10 June 2025
  • The stereotype of the hurried retail investor making split-second decisions based on little more than a hunch has been confirmed by groundbreaking academic research.
    Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • Last year, there were 34 incidents of rapid intensification -- when a storm gains at least 35 mph in 24 hours -- which is about twice the average and causes forecasting problems, according to the hurricane center.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 June 2025
  • Plug-And-Play System Integration A truly effective anti-fraud solution should easily integrate with other platforms—whether through out-of-the-box connectors or by enabling the rapid development of new ones.
    Marcin Nowak, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • By using its emergency docket to leap to the Administration’s defense, the Court acted with unseemly haste and engaged in overt cherry-picking.
    Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 29 May 2025
  • Why did Jennifer, who’d waited years for Mr. Perfect, suddenly move with such haste?
    Lizz Schumer, People.com, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • Israel was quick to retaliate, targeting an oil refinery and hitting buildings in Tehran.
    / CBS News, CBS News, 15 June 2025
  • Reddit users were quick to share their love and admiration for Stevie.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025
Noun
  • The rush into bitcoin treasuries — inflated by cheap capital, yield promises, and brand name endorsements — is starting to resemble a bubble.
    MacKenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 23 June 2025
  • Winning in the trenches has been a successful strategy for many winning teams, and the Giants just might find plenty of success with a pass rush that features Thibodeaux, Burns, and Carter.
    Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
Adjective
  • Written and directed by documentarian Brian Tetsuro Ivie (Emanuel) in his narrative directorial debut, the film tells the story of an impulsive young woman and a reclusive older man who launch on a poignant cross‑country road trip.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 26 June 2025
  • Unfortunately, impulsive, inventory-optimization metric chasing often soothes symptoms while elevating strategic risk.
    Noah Barsky, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • Luis Costa, global head of EM sovereign credit at Citigroup Global Markets, signaled the muted reaction could be, in part, attributed to hopes of a brisk resolution to the conflict.
    Ruxandra Iordache,Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 16 June 2025
  • Related article Prevent low back pain with this simple lifestyle change The findings showed that as the amount of daily walking increased, the risk of chronic low back pain decreased, and preliminary evidence revealed moderate or brisk walking was more protective than a slow pace, Pocovi said.
    Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 13 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hastiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hastiness. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!