speedier; speediest
Synonyms of speedynext
: marked by swiftness of motion or action
speedily adverb
speediness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for speedy

fast, rapid, swift, fleet, quick, speedy, hasty, expeditious mean moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity.

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

fast horses

and rapid to the movement itself.

rapid current

swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement.

returned the ball with one swift stroke

fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment

speedy delivery of mail

and may also suggest unusual velocity.

hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.

a hasty inspection

expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.

the expeditious handling of an order

Examples of speedy in a Sentence

They wished her a speedy recovery. a speedy worker but not a very careful one, unfortunately
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But the question is, how would that demand change if customers can shop in the more convenient and speedy way that they’re used to with Zalando? Cathrin Schaer, Footwear News, 28 May 2026 While some residents and city officials welcomed the possibilities of speedy air-to-land Amazon deliveries, several attendees raised concerns about noise, privacy, safety and the growing presence of drones in residential neighborhoods. Noah Daly updated May 28, Idaho Statesman, 28 May 2026 The speedy and versatile Singleton didn’t have the year many expected in 2025, but quarterback play accounts for much of that. Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 27 May 2026 Colleagues, on the other hand, measure COOs with metrics like speedy resolutions, swift decision-making and a reduction in bottlenecks. Allison Mais, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for speedy

Word History

Etymology

Middle English spedi "beneficial, unencumbered, agile, prompt," from sped "luck, success, assistance, rate of progress" + -i -y entry 1 — more at speed entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of speedy was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Speedy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speedy. Accessed 31 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

speedy

adjective
speedier; speediest
: moving or taking place fast
speedily adverb
speediness noun

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