lightning

adjective

Definition of lightningnext
as in rapid
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed he made a lightning dash for the goal

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 lightning Digital assets are moving at hyper-lightning speed. — Manny Khan, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightning
  1. rapid
  2. quick
  3. fast
  4. brisk
  5. galloping
  6. swift
Adjective
  • Although modest today, Great Falls was substantial for its time and reflects rapid advances in turbine and generator engineering during the early twentieth century.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The trend cycle in beauty is rapid, but there’s not one identifiable aesthetic dominating the present moment.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of rapid
Adjective
  • Our waiter, Juan, was – as all servers at Papi Steak are – quick to illuminate the kaleidoscopic dish with a pocket flashlight, apparently for documentary purposes.
    — Connie Ogle July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • But those numbers are improving at a quicker pace than math scores.
    — Samuel O’Neal July 31, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026
Definition of quick
Adjective
  • The Perseids are particularly fast and often leave persistent glowing trails.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Previously the fastest woman, Dutch runner Tessa Caspers, did it in 38 days.
    — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of fast
Adjective
  • The problem, of course, is that this newfound speed arrived in a world whose lighting technology had not quite caught up with the idea of vehicles moving at more than a brisk trot.
    — Matthew MacConnell, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Sales have been brisk for state lottery games after a brief period where inflation apparently caused consumers to dial back purchases of scratch-off tickets.
    — Jim Turner, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of brisk
Adjective
  • As his health faded in the last year of his life, Neruda rushed to finish his story, which gives the last chapters of his book a galloping, fragmented quality.
    — Tunku Varadarajan, WSJ, 25 June 2021
  • Designed by renowned architect Dominique Perrault, its four stories tilting forward are said to evoke a galloping horse.
    — Rob Hodgetts at Longchamp, CNN, 15 Oct. 2019
Definition of galloping
Adjective
  • Araki, who has honed his craft on the swift schedules of both low-budget movies and episodic television, says there’s something to be gained from having the momentum that comes with never being able to slow down.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The swift capitulation put many other law firms at a disadvantage.
    — Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of swift

Phrases Containing lightning

Browse Nearby Words

lightness
lightning
lightning rod
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lightning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightning. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lightning

Nglish: Translation of lightning for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lightning

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