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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun hurry contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of hurry are dispatch, expedition, haste, and speed. While all these words mean "quickness in movement or action," hurry often has a strong suggestion of agitated bustle or confusion.

in the hurry of departure she forgot her toothbrush

How do expedition and dispatch relate to one another, in the sense of hurry?

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

When can haste be used instead of hurry?

The words haste and hurry can be used in similar contexts, but haste applies to personal action and implies urgency and precipitancy and often rashness.

marry in haste

Where would speed be a reasonable alternative to hurry?

Although the words speed and hurry have much in common, speed suggests swift efficiency in movement or action.

exercises to increase your reading speed

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 hurry
Noun
Instead, Max Muncy, Miguel Rojas and Will Smith turned the game around in a hurry. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025 Unfortunately, to save time, someone who is always in a hurry with limited time for exercise except weekends may be in the habit of leaping into vigorous exercise without warming up properly. Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
As rain pattered against windows, and trees lining the streets swayed, flurries of urgent texts began ricocheting from one end of the neighborhood to the other, and panic set in as some residents put on their shoes and hurried out the door. Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025 Charlotte, which has rarely utilized tempo this season, hurried to the line, and Loftis fired a ball between two wideouts, both running curls. Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hurry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurry
Noun
  • Built in 1993 by musician and entrepreneur Robin Crow, Dark Horse has long been a sanctuary for artists seeking inspiration away from Nashville's hustle.
    Bryan West, Nashville Tennessean, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Saszy Afroshii, who’s produced for Fave, Qing Madi and Tiwa Savage, says inspiration strikes anywhere in the midst of Lagos’ hustle and bustle, but opportunities aren’t always that easy to find.
    Heran Mamo, Billboard, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Japan is world-renowned for its bullet trains, which transport passengers at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Clicking the button will activate cruise control, then click the SET+ to lock your car at your preferred speed.
    Keenan Thompson, Freep.com, 11 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • But these aren’t the only cups causing a commotion.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Actual Vancouverites barely stood by to watch the commotion.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Eventually, another referee rushed to the ring, nearly giving Cena a pinfall win after a move.
    Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
  • But with legal developments, rushing to publish can lead to out-of-context assertions or worse.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • But much of it has also been done in private, with scouts scurrying across the country to see players early and begin tracking their progress throughout the season.
    Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Things also scurried in the branches above.
    Ryan Knighton, AFAR Media, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The thieves dropped two pieces in their haste to get away.
    News Desk, Artforum, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Though meetings between military brass and civilian leaders are nothing new, this gathering had fueled intense speculation about its purpose given the haste with which it was called and the mystery surrounding it.
    Konstantin Toropin, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • His velocity was up a bit in the second half, and his strikeout rate also jumped from 31% to 39%, so there's a case to be made that bad luck amplifies a slight regression from arguably the best reliever in the game to merely one of the best 10 to 15 in the league.
    Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
  • In the modern landscape of personalized diagnostics, drug research, development, and manufacturing, data integrity and velocity of the product-to-market are everything.
    Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Wendy’s replied, causing a stir online.
    Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 8 Nov. 2025
  • The comedian, who caused a stir in September by announcing her departure from SNL just one month before the show's 51st season, now jokes that leaving felt a lot like getting divorced.
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hurry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurry. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

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