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.
Its reasonable prices combined with the speedy, mobile-friendly claims process make this brand an excellent option for many travelers. Liz Knueven,ryley Amond, CNBC, 11 Apr. 2026 Jassy also touted Amazon’s $4 billion effort to bring speedy delivery to shoppers in rural America. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026 Mascherano opted to play without a natural striker at the end of last season and utilize Messi as a deep-lying forward (false nine) who could also create, flanked by young, speedy, energetic Mateo Silvetti and Tadeo Allende. Michelle Kaufman april 7, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026 While humanitarians are practiced at speedy emergency response following gang attacks, sending in water trucks and setting up temporary shelter for fleeing families, the sheer scale of the crisis makes real rebuilding hard to imagine. Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 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 12 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

speedy

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

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