SPEEDY Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'speedy' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of speedy are expeditious , fast , fleet , hasty , quick , rapid , and swift . While all these words mean "moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity," speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment and may also suggest unusual velocity. // speedy delivery of mail

Q: When can 'expeditious' be used instead of 'speedy'?

The words expeditious and speedy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment. // the expeditious handling of an order

Q: How do 'fast' and 'rapid' relate to one another, in the sense of 'speedy'?

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

Q: When could 'fleet' be used to replace 'speedy'?

Although the words fleet and speedy have much in common, fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness. // fleet runners

Q: When is it sensible to use 'hasty' instead of 'speedy'?

In some situations, the words hasty and speedy are roughly equivalent. However, hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness. // a hasty inspection

Q: When is 'quick' a more appropriate choice than 'speedy'?

While in some cases nearly identical to speedy , quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time. // a quick wit

Q: Where would 'rapid' be a reasonable alternative to 'speedy'?

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

Q: When might 'swift' be a better fit than 'speedy'?

While the synonyms swift and speedy are close in meaning, swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement. // returned the ball with one swift stroke

speedy

adjective

ˈspē-dē

Definition of speedy

as in rapid

moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed a speedy worker but not a very careful one, unfortunately

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in immediate

done, carried out, or given without delay I was surprised by and pleased with the company's speedy response to my complaints

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective speedy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of speedy are expeditious, fast, fleet, hasty, quick, rapid, and swift. While all these words mean "moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity," speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment and may also suggest unusual velocity.

speedy delivery of mail

When can expeditious be used instead of speedy?

The words expeditious and speedy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.

the expeditious handling of an order

How do fast and rapid relate to one another, in the sense of speedy?

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

fast horses

When could fleet be used to replace speedy?

Although the words fleet and speedy have much in common, fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

When is it sensible to use hasty instead of speedy?

In some situations, the words hasty and speedy are roughly equivalent. However, hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.

a hasty inspection

When is quick a more appropriate choice than speedy?

While in some cases nearly identical to speedy, quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

Where would rapid be a reasonable alternative to speedy?

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

rapid current

When might swift be a better fit than speedy?

While the synonyms swift and speedy are close in meaning, 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 speedy After building an action camera capable of tracking speedy cyclists and skiers, HoverAir decided to tackle a foe that had foiled other consumer drone manufacturers. — Max Cea, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 Sheriff Ed Gonzalez credited Flock cameras for the speedy arrest. — John Lomax V, Houston Chronicle, 15 Oct. 2026 In her eyes, a speedy race and a seamless podcast have a common thread — cadence. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 The Chiefs have expressed interest in reuniting with the speedy 5-foot-10 receiver, who was a favorite target of quarterback Patrick Mahomes when Kansas City won a Super Bowl in 2020. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for speedy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for speedy

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

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

In March 2026, China approved the world’s first commercially available brain-computer interface medical device, a milestone that pointed to ambitions extending well beyond low-cost production or fast-follow imitation.

— Ruby Wang, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
The uptick in earnings came as factory-gate prices rose at their fastest pace since mid-2022, driven by higher energy and raw material prices amid the Middle East conflict.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of fast

Adjective

Accurate and timely financial information can help leadership identify emerging trends, prepare for obligations and understand the financial consequences of decisions before those decisions become difficult to reverse.

— Prasanna Kumar, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Her ability to mobilize the population could force the other participants to give greater weight to public demands for a timely election.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of timely

Adjective

Most dogs benefit from two brisk daily walks of 20-30 minutes.

— Will Boyd, Baltimore Sun, 17 Oct. 2026
Los Javis, working with editor Alberto Gutiérrez, keep things moving, and the film’s two-and-a-half-hour running time moves at a surprisingly brisk pace.

— Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of brisk

Adjective

As his health faded in the last year of his life, Neruda rushed to finish his story, which gives the last chapters of his book a galloping, fragmented quality.

— Tunku Varadarajan, WSJ, 25 June 2021
Designed by renowned architect Dominique Perrault, its four stories tilting forward are said to evoke a galloping horse.

— Rob Hodgetts at Longchamp, CNN, 15 Oct. 2019

Definition of galloping

Browse Nearby Words

speed (up)

speedy

spell

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Speedy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speedy. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of speedy

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Getting Up to Speed on (the History of)...

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes

Synonyms of speedy

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to speedy

Getting Up to Speed on (the History of)...

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes