speed 1 of 2

Definition of speednext

speed

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun speed contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of speed are dispatch, expedition, haste, and hurry. While all these words mean "quickness in movement or action," speed suggests swift efficiency in movement or action.

exercises to increase your reading speed

How are the words expedition and dispatch related as synonyms of speed?

Expedition and dispatch both imply speed and efficiency in handling affairs but expedition stresses ease or efficiency of performance and dispatch stresses promptness in concluding matters.

the case came to trial with expedition
paid bills with dispatch

Where would haste be a reasonable alternative to speed?

The words haste and speed can be used in similar contexts, but haste applies to personal action and implies urgency and precipitancy and often rashness.

marry in haste

When might hurry be a better fit than speed?

The synonyms hurry and speed are sometimes interchangeable, but hurry often has a strong suggestion of agitated bustle or confusion.

in the hurry of departure she forgot her toothbrush

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 speed
Noun
The Eta Aquarids meteors are renowned for their speed. Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 3 May 2026 Through the lens of the movie, that number is the same as the speed needed by the DeLorean time machine to time-travel. Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 3 May 2026
Verb
Doctors suggested that the data do not support an early change in therapy and instead introduce unknown risks by speeding up the treatment sequence, potentially reducing time on otherwise effective options, noted Jefferies analysts. Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 1 May 2026 Officials say the goal is to improve battlefield awareness and speed up decisions. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for speed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speed
Noun
  • How the stars in a binary system orbit one another — their orbital period and velocity — depends on the masses of the two stars.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 28 Apr. 2026
  • But Lamar’s velocity reflects his ambition.
    New York Times, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Flagg and Knueppel traded places as betting favorites during the season, but Flagg’s 96-point outburst over two games on the second-to-last weekend might have tipped the scales.
    Schuyler Dixon, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Lines to see the fan favorites — Griner, second-year guard Saniya Rivers, former UConn star Aaliyah Edwards — wrapped around the length of the court for nearly an hour.
    Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Whilst the Yangtze River Delta has become the nexus of full-stack, frontier generative AI models, Shenzhen is racing ahead as the powerhouse of China’s embodied AI and hardware efforts.
    Brian Wong, Fortune, 3 May 2026
  • Detmers was slow to get off the mound to cover first base, so Schanuel had to race Mauricio to the bag.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 3 May 2026
Noun
  • But, curiously, participants had the highest solve rate when the puzzles appeared in ordinary dreams, not lucid ones.
    Shayla Love, New Yorker, 1 May 2026
  • For example, through the department’s Civil Rights Data Collection, Cohen and Smith Richards were able to determine that a special-education district in Illinois had the highest rate of student arrests of any school in the country.
    Charles Ornstein, ProPublica, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Naming one clear boundary or preference shifts the tone.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026
  • The format varies widely depending on access and preference.
    Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Trump being hurried off the stage unharmed and guests ducking for cover underneath their tables.
    Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Might as well hurry up and shoot.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In 2026, the Eta Aquarid peak will occur overnight on May 5-6, as Earth travels through the densest part of Halley's debris stream.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 2 May 2026
  • The club said the victims of the private aircraft crash were Seren Wilson, Brooke Skypala, Stacy Hedrick, Glen Appling and Hayden Dillard, who were traveling to a tournament.
    Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • As Mars challenges Jupiter, rushing ahead can create unnecessary tension.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 4 May 2026
  • Rather than being surrounded by six lanes of asphalt and rushing traffic, people would easy have access to rest comfortably around the monument.
    Lucius Riccio, New York Daily News, 3 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Speed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speed. Accessed 6 May. 2026.

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