fleet 1 of 2

noun

Definition of fleetnext
as in convoy
a group of vehicles traveling together or under one management a fleet of buses rolling down the highway

Synonyms & Similar Words

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fleet

2 of 2

adjective

as in rapid
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed a jewel thief said to be light of heart and fleet of foot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective fleet contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of fleet are expeditious, fast, hasty, quick, rapid, speedy, and swift. While all these words mean "moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity," fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

When could expeditious be used to replace fleet?

In some situations, the words expeditious and fleet are roughly equivalent. However, expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.

the expeditious handling of an order

How are the words fast and rapid related as synonyms of fleet?

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 hasty instead of fleet?

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

a hasty inspection

When would quick be a good substitute for fleet?

The meanings of quick and fleet largely overlap; however, quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

When can rapid be used instead of fleet?

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

rapid current

In what contexts can speedy take the place of fleet?

Although the words speedy and fleet have much in common, speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment and may also suggest unusual velocity.

speedy delivery of mail

Where would swift be a reasonable alternative to fleet?

The words swift and fleet can be used in similar contexts, but 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 fleet
Noun
For rental fleets, this flexibility means faster deployments and fewer compromises. —New Atlas, 11 Feb. 2026 The growing fleet captures the hospitality and high-quality service that the brand is known for, while offering amenities that appeal to passengers of all ages. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
This approach lowers costs, accelerates delivery, and — by integrating superior technology on these platforms at scale — ensures that America has both the fleet size and the industrial depth needed to respond to a crisis. —Big Think, 28 Oct. 2025 Fiji Airways is the smallest airline by fleet size to ever receive the honor and the only airline in Oceania to win, according to the carrier. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fleet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fleet
  1. convoy
  2. rapid
  3. armada
  4. brisk
  5. caravan
  6. fast
  7. flotilla
  8. quick
Noun
  • The convoy’s destination was another city, about two hundred miles away.
    — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Subtle patterning on the center of the jersey shows both a golden lion and ships from the legendary 1715 Treasure Fleet, a convoy carrying New World wealth back to Spain before a hurricane sank 11 of its 12 ships.
    — Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of convoy
Adjective
  • Most structural components were 3D-printed in Polylactic Acid (PLA), enabling fast iteration and part replacement throughout the build, highlighting the flexibility of rapid prototyping in robotics development.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Retailers claim the digital tags improve efficiency by allowing for rapid, store-wide price updates.
    — Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of rapid
Noun
  • Trump has referred to aircraft carriers and their accompanying destroyers as armadas and flotillas.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Iran will conduct live-fire military drills next week in the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump announced a U.S. armada was on its way to the region amid escalating tensions with Tehran.
    — Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Definition of armada
Adjective
  • Lemon entered his plea during a brisk court appearance on Friday, multiple outlets reported, after he was arrested last month in Los Angeles.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Although a good portion of this album still sounds like Kurt Vile going through a Sly Stone phase, the kumbaya squishiness of the past few records has hardened into a brisk antagonism.
    — Eli Enis, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of brisk
Noun
  • And finally the fellas wax poetic about winter caravans gone by and whatever happened to the exploding Winnebago from the 1980s.
    — SportsDay Staff, Dallas Morning News, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Senior citizens were wheeled out of the lobby one by one and outside into below-freezing temperatures, where they were met by a caravan of ambulances, emergency response vehicles, and more.
    — Allen Devlin, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Definition of caravan
Adjective
  • What India is doing could also be mirrored in other emerging economies, which may be able to harness increasingly cheap wind and solar at an even faster rate to power their economic development, Bond said.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Performance gains in cars, drones, and robots In laboratory tests, the system processed motion data four times faster than current state-of-the-art algorithms.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of fast
Noun
  • After World War I, the US Navy operated the Yangtze Patrol, a flotilla of gunboats that protected American interests – including missionaries and oil companies – inside China during a lengthy period of warlordism and instability.
    — Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
  • However, the Australian admiral cautioned that the Chinese naval flotilla's direction, purpose and intent remain unclear.
    — Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
Definition of flotilla
Adjective
  • Use citrus peels or baking soda with vinegar for a quick and natural way to clean and deodorize the garbage disposal effectively.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Trump’s response to this has been to float policies that promise a quick hit of relief.
    — Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of quick

Browse Nearby Words

flees
fleet
fleet-footed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fleet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fleet. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fleet

Nglish: Translation of fleet for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fleet

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