swift 1 of 2

adjective

ˈswift How to pronounce swift (audio)
Definition of swiftnext
as in rapid
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed the sleekest, swiftest boat ever to have sailed in the regatta

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

swift

2 of 2

adverb

as in quick
with great speed tried to cross the swift-flowing river

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective swift contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of swift are expeditious, fast, fleet, hasty, quick, rapid, and speedy. While all these words mean "moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity," swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement.

returned the ball with one swift stroke

When can expeditious be used instead of swift?

The words expeditious and swift are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 swift?

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

fast horses

When would fleet be a good substitute for swift?

The synonyms fleet and swift are sometimes interchangeable, but fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

When is hasty a more appropriate choice than swift?

The meanings of hasty and swift largely overlap; however, hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.

a hasty inspection

In what contexts can quick take the place of swift?

Although the words quick and swift have much in common, quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

Where would rapid be a reasonable alternative to swift?

In some situations, the words rapid and swift are roughly equivalent. However, rapid applies to the movement itself, rather than to the thing that moves.

rapid current

When could speedy be used to replace swift?

While the synonyms speedy and swift are close in meaning, speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment and may also suggest unusual velocity.

speedy delivery of mail

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 swift
Adjective
Miss those lofty expectations, though, and the comeuppance is swift and harsh. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025 Acutis’ path to sainthood has been unusually swift. —Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
Adverb
That trip was referenced in the whistle-blower complaint that sparked the House’s swift-moving impeachment inquiry. —Jennifer Jacobs, Time, 17 Oct. 2019 As of Monday, Golden Police Chief Bill Kilpatrick and Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Schrader are restricting water activities on Clear Creek because of swift-moving water and floating debris. —Kirk Mitchell, The Denver Post, 1 July 2019 See All Example Sentences for swift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swift
  1. rapid
  2. quick
  3. brisk
  4. quickly
  5. fast
  6. rapidly
  7. swiftly
  8. soon
Adjective
  • Unrivaled also saw rapid growth across digital platforms during its first season.
    — Roberta F. Rodrigues, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Instead of rapid expansion, Johnson focuses on sustainable growth.
    — Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of rapid
Adverb
  • What Heupel does differently is run plays even quicker, mix up his play calls and truly commit to the run.
    — Seth Emerson, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
  • This insistence on being faithful to Gotouge’s vision — while admirable — also means that the titular Demon Slayer is barely in the first hour or so, and his sister, Nezuko isn’t in the film at all, aside from one quick aside.
    — David Opie, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of quick
Adjective
  • There are expressive aromas of bread, pear and yellow plum; medium-full, with a rich, layered mid-palate, there is excellent complexity, significant persistence, brisk acidity and outstanding harmony.
    — Tom Hyland, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • If left on automatic, the GFX100RF prefers a 1/125-second exposure time, which is brisk enough to eliminate signs of handshake.
    — PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
Definition of brisk
Adverb
  • These data centers will require plenty of energy, and, to that end, an agreement will be signed between the two governments enabling companies to build new nuclear power stations in both countries more quickly.
    — Ian King, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
  • And thanks to people like Vanessa Williams, and Silvio Horta, the creator, I was put front and center on that show kind of quickly.
    — H. Alan Scott, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of quickly
Adjective
  • Blue Cruise functioned well in fast traffic, including a couple of automatic lane changes.
    — Mark Phelan, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • But most service impressions are shaped by System 1—the fast, intuitive, emotional response.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of fast
Adverb
  • In the end, the 77th Annual Emmy Awards served as both a nostalgic tribute to television’s rich past and a clear testament to its rapidly evolving future.
    — Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • The decades-long strategy of cramming more transistors into the same chip area is rapidly approaching its practical limits, and conventional methods may no longer deliver consistent performance gains.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
Definition of rapidly
Adverb
  • Amazon Prime Video’s six-part thriller concluded with an ending that cannonballed into new territory and paddled swiftly away from the ending of Michelle Frances’ 2017 novel of the same name.
    — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The rift now out in the open, Bidenworld swiftly hit back.
    — W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Definition of swiftly
Adverb
  • While the container comes with a month's worth of capsules, many reviewers noticed results way sooner.
    — Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Hannan, as a member of the Conservative Party, is not planning to defect any time soon.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of soon

Browse Nearby Words

swerving
swift
swiftly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swift. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on swift

Nglish: Translation of swift for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about swift

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