quick 1 of 3

adjective

ˈkwik How to pronounce quick (audio)
Definition of quicknext
1
as in swift
having or showing the ability to respond without delay or hesitation she's a quick wit, always ready with a pun or joke when the moment calls for one

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fast
having or showing quickness of mind a quick lad, he immediately caught on to how the machinery operated

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3
as in rapid
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed a quick run through the car wash, and your vehicle will look as good as new

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in breathing
having or showing life after the battle, there was a hurried accounting of the quick and the dead

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5
as in keen
able to sense slight impressions or differences parlayed her quick eye for beauty into ownership of a top modeling agency

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6
as in gone
archaic containing unborn young within the body a woman quick with child

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

quick

2 of 3

adverb

as in quickly
with great speed watch out, as the cars pass by here pretty quick

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

quick

3 of 3

noun

as in heart
the seat of one's deepest thoughts and emotions that nasty comment cut me to the quick

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective quick contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of quick are apt, prompt, and ready. While all these words mean "able to respond without delay or hesitation or indicative of such ability," quick stresses instancy of response and is likely to connote native rather than acquired power.

quick reflexes
a keen quick mind

When is apt a more appropriate choice than quick?

The words apt and quick can be used in similar contexts, but apt stresses the possession of qualities (such as intelligence, a particular talent, or a strong bent) that makes quick effective response possible.

an apt student
her answer was apt and to the point

Where would prompt be a reasonable alternative to quick?

While the synonyms prompt and quick are close in meaning, prompt is more likely to connote training and discipline that fits one for instant response.

prompt emergency medical care

When is it sensible to use ready instead of quick?

The meanings of ready and quick largely overlap; however, ready suggests facility or fluency in response.

backed by a pair of ready assistants

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 quick
Adjective
Here’s a quick look at who’s opening, closing and changing hands. — Chadd Cripe. Produced With Ai Assistance, Idaho Statesman, 18 Oct. 2026 Shoppers comparing bottles at the drugstore shelf can use those three functions as a quick filter before anything else. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
Adverb
The 5-10 receiver and defensive back needed to get faster and quicker within six months. — Pj Green october 14, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026 The riders also moved considerably quicker than the previous record-holder, which had averaged just 12 mph (19 km/h). — New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
As one of the marquee burners in the talent-rich fields of Los Angeles, Ross has Power 4 quicks — Notre Dame, Washington and Auburn were among the blue-blood offers — on a mid-major frame (5-foot-10, 180 pounds). — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2025 The 34-year-old won’t evade defenders with his quicks but repeatedly beats coverage off the first move and wins in traffic. — Ben Standig, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for quick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quick
  1. swift
  2. fast
  3. rapid
  4. alive
  5. keen
  6. gone
  7. quickly
  8. heart
Adjective
  • The Royals made swift changes by reassigning hitting coach Alec Zumwalt and clearing out their entire training staff.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The storm on Wednesday that may have spawned a tornado was one in a barrage of strong storms across Southern California this week that caused localized flooding, strong rains and high winds, including a swift-water rescue in Los Angeles.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of swift
Adjective
  • If there are 1023 particles interfering with one another on such tiny and fast quantum scales, no human has a chance to see constructive quantum interference.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • So the faster states count ballots, the faster those determinations can be made.
    — Miles Parks, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of fast
Adjective
  • Seen through this lens, rising demand for in-person connection amid the rapid expansion of technology is not a contradiction.
    — Davis Noell, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The project signals continued demand for rapid-deployment energy infrastructure.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of rapid
Adjective
  • Until now, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has insisted the men were still alive and being held by gangs.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Rescuers searched through the concrete and steel debris throughout Sunday and pulled two more people alive from the rubble, bringing the number of survivors rescued to four.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of alive
Adjective
  • But whether in Frankfurt or, later, Weimar — where Soviet officials are as keen to canonize Thomas — this father and daughter aren’t simply driving through Germany but taking a tour across fascism’s long shadow, which still darkens the world.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The Cloudveil For those keen to stay in town, there’s no better, more central location than The Cloudveil, situated on Jackson’s historic Town Square.
    — Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of keen
Adjective
  • An America lost to time, remembered in photos The mall’s future is now determined — and its past reveals a version of America perhaps long gone.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Suddenly, photos, videos, or important documents are just… gone.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 15 May 2026
Definition of gone
Adverb
  • With the interference removed, the transport molecules can quickly stick to the flexible base, while the new additive guides crystal growth and seals up flaws in the perovskite layer.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Bolsonaro quickly refused to concede defeat and asked for the election results to be annulled after an evening of chaos at some polling places that followed a last-minute decision to extend voting by two hours.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of quickly
Noun
  • Our hearts are with the families whose homes and livelihoods have been impacted.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Clyde also finds a black heart, but blows up Morgan’s scarecrow.
    — Alice Burton, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of heart

Browse Nearby Words

quibbling
quick
quicken
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Cite this Entry

“Quick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quick. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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