SPEEDY Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

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

Some common synonyms of speedy are expeditious , fast , fleet , hasty , quick , rapid , and swift . While all these words mean "moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity," speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment and may also suggest unusual velocity. // speedy delivery of mail

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

The words expeditious and speedy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment. // the expeditious handling of an order

Q: How do 'fast' and 'rapid' relate to one another, in the sense of 'speedy'?

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

Q: When could 'fleet' be used to replace 'speedy'?

Although the words fleet and speedy have much in common, fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness. // fleet runners

Q: When is it sensible to use 'hasty' instead of 'speedy'?

In some situations, the words hasty and speedy are roughly equivalent. However, hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness. // a hasty inspection

Q: When is 'quick' a more appropriate choice than 'speedy'?

While in some cases nearly identical to speedy , quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time. // a quick wit

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

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

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

While the synonyms swift and speedy are close in meaning, swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement. // returned the ball with one swift stroke

speedy

adjective

ˈspē-dē

Definition of speedy

as in rapid

moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed a speedy worker but not a very careful one, unfortunately

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in immediate

done, carried out, or given without delay I was surprised by and pleased with the company's speedy response to my complaints

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective speedy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of speedy are expeditious, fast, fleet, hasty, quick, rapid, and swift. While all these words mean "moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity," speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment and may also suggest unusual velocity.

speedy delivery of mail

When can expeditious be used instead of speedy?

The words expeditious and speedy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.

the expeditious handling of an order

How do fast and rapid relate to one another, in the sense of speedy?

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 speedy?

Although the words fleet and speedy have much in common, fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

When is it sensible to use hasty instead of speedy?

In some situations, the words hasty and speedy are roughly equivalent. However, hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.

a hasty inspection

When is quick a more appropriate choice than speedy?

While in some cases nearly identical to speedy, quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

Where would rapid be a reasonable alternative to speedy?

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

rapid current

When might swift be a better fit than speedy?

While the synonyms swift and speedy 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 speedy Ace also has video of him running down the speedy Deshonne Redeaux last season to prevent a touchdown against Oaks Christian. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 These speedy stars used to be part of a binary pair of stars that got too close to Sagittarius A*, which is the black hole at the center of our galaxy. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Nearly all of them complained of teenagers on speedy electric bikes. — Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026 Nick Reiner‘s attorney pushed on Monday for speedy access to trust funds to pay for his criminal defense in the killings of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for speedy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for speedy

Adjective

The numbers are vast and climbing again but during the countdown to another season, beginning on Friday night, there has been another timely marker to illustrate the rapid financial growth of the Premier League and its elite.

— Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
The state alleges OpenAI's rapid success stems from deceit and exploitation, causing widespread harm to Floridians and subverting public order.

— Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of rapid

Adjective

Coming out of the blocks quickly again is crucial, because an immediate exit from Europe could have damaging repercussions for the rest of the season.

— Andy Naylor, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
After Manitou Springs began charging for parking, Klaver said his business there saw an immediate change.

— Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of immediate

Adjective

Staff in the South Stand offices would spend the winter months wearing jackets due to a broken boiler and, according to Bruce, only the players quickest to the dressing-room showers could expect to enjoy hot water after games.

— Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
This is excellent energy for captions, pitches, texts, brainstorming, flirting, or turning a quick idea into something shareable.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of quick

Adjective

Oil prices and government borrowing costs climbed higher on Tuesday as traders’ hopes of a swift resolution to the US-Iran conflict fade.

— Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
Comcast plans to separate out NBCUniversal in 2027, a swift follow-up to the spinout of Versant, its portfolio of cable TV networks, including CNBC.

— Alex Sherman,Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of swift

Adjective

Edstrom is big and fast, competes hard, and creates a lot of offense in the high-percentage areas.

— Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
These developments prompted more cries of outrage, including one from the Democratic senator Mark Warner, who has introduced a bill that would ban social-media companies from selling fast access to accounts of government employees.

— John Cassidy, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of fast

Adjective

The numbers are vast and climbing again but during the countdown to another season, beginning on Friday night, there has been another timely marker to illustrate the rapid financial growth of the Premier League and its elite.

— Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
In the wake of this year’s Wimbledon and ahead of the US Open, this timely book from The Athletic’s Matthew Futterman details the unique psychological toll that professional tennis can take — particularly on its greatest stars.

— Mary Lawrence Ware, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of timely

Adjective

The affect of these books—brisk, unsentimental, exacting—serves their diagnosis.

— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
This cooling tub can be installed inside or out and drops the water temp to a brisk 37°F for consistent recovery sessions.

— Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Aug. 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

Browse Nearby Words

speed (up)

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Style

“Speedy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speedy. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of speedy

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to speedy

Getting Up to Speed on (the History of)...

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on speedy

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Word of the Day

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Games & Quizzes