swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement.
returned the ball with one swift stroke
fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.
fleet runners
quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.
a quick wit
speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment
speedy delivery of mail
and may also suggest unusual velocity.
hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.
a hasty inspection
expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.
the expeditious handling of an order
Examples of speedy in a Sentence
They wished her a speedy recovery.
a speedy worker but not a very careful one, unfortunately
Recent Examples on the WebBut the timing of Mr. Netanyahu’s remarks, coming first thing the next morning, seemed to put the brakes on Mr. Biden’s hopes for a speedy resolution to the war, which has claimed the lives of more than 36,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.—Aaron Boxerman, New York Times, 1 June 2024 The hotel can arrange a transfer from the airport to the property by car or helicopter (yes, the property has its own helipad) for an ultra-scenic and speedy arrival.—Julia Eskins, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2024 McDonnell said teams of thieves have become as speedy as NASCAR pit crews in stealing catalytic converters, in some cases using floor jacks and cordless saws to remove the part.—Alex Stone, ABC News, 29 May 2024 The simple and speedy application can be done just about anywhere, as the pen is incredibly compact and there’s no brushing required.—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 20 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for speedy
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'speedy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English spedi "beneficial, unencumbered, agile, prompt," from sped "luck, success, assistance, rate of progress" + -i-y entry 1 — more at speed entry 1
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