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

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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
There may also be a desire among decision makers to be more deliberate in defenestrations than during the MeToo era, when corporate cancellations were swift and arguably, in some cases, rash. —Claire Zillman, Fortune, 14 Feb. 2026 Additional resources were deployed, including the Maryland State Police Aviation Command, dive teams from Baltimore County, and the Baltimore City swift water rescue team from Kingsville Volunteer Company. —Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 13 Feb. 2026
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
  • 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
Adverb
  • Snow disappearing earlier than average leaves the ground exposed to warmer weather in the spring and summer, which dries soils and vegetation quicker, said Daniel McEvoy, researcher with the Western Regional Climate Center.
    — Dorany Pineda, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
  • This technology lets passengers verify their identity in just a few seconds, making airport travel quicker and easier for many flyers.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of quick
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
Adverb
  • The hotel’s outdoor lawn and event space has quickly become a hot wedding venue—nearly every weekend in the summer and fall was booked up.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Strain is experimenting with a different 3D printer material that biodegrades quickly without needing to be planted.
    — TRAVIS LOLLER, Arkansas Online, 16 Feb. 2026
Definition of quickly
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
Adverb
  • As Hill and Hirsch traded correct responses and kept chasing one another’s scores, Betts found her prospects of victory rapidly dimming.
    — Claire McNear, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Wells Fargo analysts noted that AI and amateur-generated content often lacks compelling narrative elements found in traditional media, leaving room for Hollywood heavyweights to continue courting audiences in a rapidly evolving landscape.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of rapidly
Adverb
  • The series, which comes from Canadian studio Crave, was swiftly renewed after Season 1 debuted to far more fanfare than anyone might have expected.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2026
  • When Tennyson’s inconvenient father went away to Continental Europe for a spell, Alfred invited Hallam home with him to Somersby, where the rest of the family swiftly came to adore him—especially Emily, Alfred’s beloved younger sister.
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of swiftly
Adverb
  • The ailing astronaut and the three others returned to Earth more than a month sooner than planned.
    — Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2026
  • An account of the events from the Department of Homeland Security soon after the incident conflicted with the narratives from the two men and their family members.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
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 16 Feb. 2026.

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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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