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Definition of hurrynext
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hurry

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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
On and off his blade in a hurry. Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026 Near the equator, the Sun hurries below the horizon in a matter of minutes. Elizabeth Sawchuk, The Conversation, 1 Jan. 2026
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
  • Barnes isn’t just raw power and hustle.
    Eric Koreen, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
  • The coach has been teaching the sophomore to stay even-keeled in games and hustle.
    Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 5 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • In a field experiment with hundreds of consultants, GPT-4 improved speed and quality on some knowledge tasks while performance dropped on other, seemingly similar tasks just outside its strengths.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Tapascott said speed alone no longer excites drivers.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • During the commotion, the agent’s shaky cellphone video shows houses along the street and views of the sky.
    Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 10 Jan. 2026
  • In the heat of the moment, though, Certa was clearly walking after one of the officials, but Shrewsberry came barreling in as the official turned around to see the commotion.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 3 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • First responders in Atlanta rushed to an airport runway Tuesday after an aircraft experienced a harrowing landing failure, with all eight of its landing tires bursting the moment the plane touched down, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
    Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Lopez rushed her back to the emergency room, where an MRI revealed a diagnosis of transverse myelitis, a rare inflammatory disorder affecting the spinal cord.
    Leondra Head, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
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 10 Jan. 2026.

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