RAPID Synonyms: 64 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'rapid' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of rapid are expeditious , fast , fleet , hasty , quick , speedy , and swift . While all these words mean "moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity," rapid applies to the movement itself, rather than to the thing that moves. // rapid current

Q: When would 'expeditious' be a good substitute for 'rapid'?

Although the words expeditious and rapid have much in common, expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment. // the expeditious handling of an order

Q: How are the words 'fast' and 'rapid' related?

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

Q: When is it sensible to use 'fleet' instead of 'rapid'?

The meanings of fleet and rapid largely overlap; however, fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness. // fleet runners

Q: In what contexts can 'hasty' take the place of 'rapid'?

While in some cases nearly identical to rapid , hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness. // a hasty inspection

Q: Where would 'quick' be a reasonable alternative to 'rapid'?

The synonyms quick and rapid are sometimes interchangeable, but quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time. // a quick wit

Q: When can 'speedy' be used instead of 'rapid'?

In some situations, the words speedy and rapid are roughly equivalent. However, speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment and may also suggest unusual velocity. // speedy delivery of mail

Q: When might 'swift' be a better fit than 'rapid'?

The words swift and rapid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement. // returned the ball with one swift stroke

rapid

adjective

ˈra-pəd

Definition of rapid

as in quick

moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed the rapid descent of the roller coaster made me feel very queasy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the adjective rapid contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of rapid are expeditious, fast, fleet, hasty, quick, speedy, and swift. While all these words mean "moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity," rapid applies to the movement itself, rather than to the thing that moves.

rapid current

When would expeditious be a good substitute for rapid?

Although the words expeditious and rapid have much in common, expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.

the expeditious handling of an order

How are the words fast and rapid related?

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 fleet instead of rapid?

The meanings of fleet and rapid largely overlap; however, fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

In what contexts can hasty take the place of rapid?

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

a hasty inspection

Where would quick be a reasonable alternative to rapid?

The synonyms quick and rapid are sometimes interchangeable, but quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

When can speedy be used instead of rapid?

In some situations, the words speedy and rapid are roughly equivalent. However, speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment and may also suggest unusual velocity.

speedy delivery of mail

When might swift be a better fit than rapid?

The words swift and rapid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 rapid While the pace of Alo’s physical retail expansion may appear rapid, its market entry has been carefully measured. — Advertorial, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2026 Similarly, in the Lake Nona area south of downtown Orlando, once-rapid school growth has slowed. — Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026 Highlighting the rapid acceleration of the crisis, Fiji recorded more than 2,000 new cases in 2025 alone, representing a staggering 16-fold increase compared to 2019, The New York Times reported. — Jessica Mekles, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026 The recognition arrives as Clave Especial continues its rapid rise. — Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rapid

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rapid

Adjective

Descano’s team has claimed prosecutions are pointless when the government’s own experts corroborate the insanity defense, while critics say his office is too quick to accept defendants’ narratives without a jury.

— Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 21 Sep. 2026
Dog grooming tips like these show that grooming your dog at home can go well beyond a quick wipe-down.

— Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of quick

Adjective

Roughly 30 minutes a day of brisk walking, light jogging, swimming or cycling supports the hormone’s natural rhythm when the effort feels energising rather than exhausting.

— Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026
Cooler temps and far less humidity than in summer make fall the ideal time to visit, and if the evenings get a bit brisk, there’s always a glass of bourbon to take the chill away.

— Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2026

Definition of brisk

Adjective

Success won’t be determined by who adopts AI the fastest or deploys post-quantum cryptography first.

— Evgeny Gervis, Forbes.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Everyone wants to be fast, but most times the big laughs come from coming in at the right time as opposed to coming in quickly.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of fast

Adjective

Digging into the character was all the more challenging for both Pitt and Ayer given the compressed pre-production schedule and swift shoot, which required them to hit the ground running.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026
The Taliban’s return to power was swift, though preventing it had ostensibly been the entire point of the decades-long occupation, the bombs, the hundreds of thousands of lives lost.

— Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of swift

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

The tumult that has defined the probe exposes a familiar gap between White House demands for speedy action and the Justice Department's ability to craft the president's litany of grievances into a prosecutable case.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026
Another three-and-out forced a punt to speedy sophomore DaMarion Fowlkes.

— PJ Green September 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of speedy

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“Rapid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rapid. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of rapid

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