fast 1 of 4

adverb

Definition of fastnext
1
as in quickly
with great speed run as fast as you can to get help

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in quite
to a full extent or degree everyone in camp was fast asleep within minutes of hitting the sack

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fast

2 of 4

adjective

ˈfast How to pronounce fast (audio)
1
as in rapid
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed the fast pace of construction resulted in our new house being done ahead of schedule

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in loyal
firm in one's allegiance to someone or something the two girls soon became fast and inseparable friends

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tight
firmly positioned in place and difficult to dislodge the rusty, old screws are so fast in the fitting that there's no hope of getting them out

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in deceptive
given to or marked by cheating and deception rolling back odometers was just one of the fast practices that the used-car dealer was guilty of

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in sturdy
marked by the ability to withstand stress without structural damage or distortion as the storm approached, we checked to see that every thing on the outside of the house was fast and locked in position

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in short
not lasting for a considerable time after a fast explanation of the procedure, we were turned loose to do the work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in quick
having or showing quickness of mind I don't know how to operate this machine, but I'm a fast learner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fast

3 of 4

noun

as in famine

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

fast

4 of 4

verb

as in to diet

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective fast contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of fast are expeditious, fleet, hasty, quick, rapid, speedy, and swift. While all these words mean "moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity," fast and rapid are very close in meaning, but fast applies particularly to the thing that moves.

fast horses

When can expeditious be used instead of fast?

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

the expeditious handling of an order

When is it sensible to use fleet instead of fast?

While the synonyms fleet and fast are close in meaning, fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

In what contexts can hasty take the place of fast?

Although the words hasty and fast have much in common, hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.

a hasty inspection

When would quick be a good substitute for fast?

In some situations, the words quick and fast are roughly equivalent. However, quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

When might rapid be a better fit than fast?

The meanings of rapid and fast largely overlap; however, rapid applies to the movement itself, rather than to the thing that moves.

rapid current

When is speedy a more appropriate choice than fast?

The words speedy and fast can be used in similar contexts, but speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment and may also suggest unusual velocity.

speedy delivery of mail

When could swift be used to replace fast?

While in some cases nearly identical to fast, 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 fast
Adverb
In more favorable cases, growth creates complexity faster than the organization can absorb it. — Kumar Rupesh, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 At the same time, new technologies started to produce identical copies better and faster than any human copyist ever could. — Mario Carpo, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Adjective
And although, as a survey-style telescope, Roman boasts a wider, faster view of the sky than either Hubble or JWST, McEnery emphasized that doesn’t make these more focused missions obsolete. — Lee Billings, Scientific American, 31 Aug. 2026 My team’s recent research on California blackworms suggests that, sometimes, such narrower paths are faster. — K. R. Prathyusha, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Noun
One year, my family’s Yom Kippur break-fast meal was very nearly derailed when my dad got into an argument with one of our guests about the Rosenbergs. — Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026 The diet recommends starting the fast after an early dinner and breaking it the next day with an afternoon snack, followed by dinner at your regular time (rather than fasting from morning to night in a single day). — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 29 June 2026
Verb
Gregg Alexander wasn’t planning to make a splashy return with New Radicals, his pop-rock collective that burned bright and fast in the late 1990s before abruptly disbanding. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 Artificial intelligence is moving fast — so fast that old questions about whether AI should be licensed to practice medicine, in whole or in part, have become pressing ones. — Humayun Chaudhry, STAT, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fast
  1. quickly
  2. quite
  3. rapid
  4. loyal
  5. tight
  6. deceptive
  7. sturdy
  8. short
Adverb
  • As rain falls on the dry, arid slopes in the region, large volumes of water can quickly flow into creeks and waterways.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Just days later, Kelce was photographed traveling with the same dog, and online sleuths quickly connected the pup to an April 2026 video clip of a similar dog jumping into one of Swift’s cars.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of quickly
Adverb
  • If your lawn grass was already quite thin, topdressing with a thin layer of quality topsoil is recommended.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Sep. 2026
  • As a shocking chart by the Wall Street Journal illustrates, the amount of capital spent on non-data center construction in the US has quite literally fallen off a cliff, while the capital deployed to build data centers soars into the stratosphere.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of quite
Adjective
  • Motion Applied brings experience from motorsport, where power electronics face rapid load changes and intense operating conditions.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The fear that rapid technological advances could threaten nuclear stability is not new.
    — Jeffrey Lewis, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of rapid
Adjective
  • But its higher average viewership suggests it is watched consistently by a smaller and more loyal audience.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Intelligence officers loyal to the army, known as the Sudanese Armed Forces, charged him with spreading fake news.
    — Mat Nashed, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of loyal
Adjective
  • Dow stood with three tattooed and shirtless jumpers, weaving white paracord through hooks in the canvas and cinching it tight.
    — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Given the tight timeframe before the election, Sher is seeking both temporary relief and an interim injunction in the petition to ensure eligible citizens are not disenfranchised while bureaucratic procedures are reviewed.
    — Natasha Mozgovaya, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of tight
Adjective
  • The technology was also tested against deceptive behaviour, an in a different scenario, fishing boats appeared to retreat while vessels from another direction accelerated toward the coastguard ship.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The siblings are likely to dispute Jeanie’s characterization of their actions as deceptive and clandestine, perhaps by pointing to communications with their sister and her responses.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of deceptive
Adjective
  • Natural and lab-grown diamonds are sturdy enough to hold up to everyday wear, with gems like sapphire and moissanite right behind them.
    — Larissa Ratschkowski, Glamour, 30 Aug. 2026
  • These sturdy and reliable machines are great for both knocking out homework and streaming Netflix, with a big 24-inch FHD monitor that boasts good brightness and wide viewing angles.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of sturdy
Adjective
  • West Suburban closed in March, after the hospital’s CEO said problems with the billing systems left the hospital short on cash.
    — Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Messages of greater than 100 words were more likely to receive a quick reply than short messages of 4-25 words.
    — Paul Hsieh, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of short

Browse Nearby Words

fashions
fast
fastback
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fast. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on fast

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fast

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All