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fast

fast

∞ 1.0
Moving or happening quickly
  • adjective
  • /fæst/
: rápido
  • The cheetah is known for being incredibly fast, reaching speeds of up to 75 miles per hour.
  • fast food
  • move fast
  • a fast pace

If you're growing too fast, get better people.

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Examples

  • Yeah, just think you can go fast, real fast.

  • And he needs to move fast, and he does.

  • You can either go fast or you can have fun.

  • Try to move too fast and cut things.

  • The only question is how fast will it die?

    GQ
  • If we move fast, we can make the early edition.

  • It's just so incredibly fast and so good.

  • I didn't know what to do, so I just ran back as fast as I could.

  • It's pretty crazy, you know, life's going so fast and high school's gonna be over in two years.

  • Students were instructed to do their best reading, fast accurate reading, or read with comprehension.

    Academic text (2013)

Synonyms

quickly
vsfast
∞ 1.0

At a fast speed or without delay

is the everyday general term for quick movement or action
rapidly
vsfast
356 1.4

In a very short time

is the neutral common label for that same rapid quality
swiftly
vsfast
75 1.0

Quickly and smoothly

is more general and does not stress smoothness
hastily
vsfast
43 3.5

In a quick, careless way

denotes speed without suggesting carelessness or haste
in a flash
vsfast
  • Informal
32 2.5

Very quickly in a single moment

describes general quickness rather than sudden instant change
in haste
vsfast
19 2.8

Quickly and without careful thought

means quickness but does not imply lack of care
mile a minute
vsfast
  • Informal
8 3.9

Very quickly, often when someone talks or acts

is the general speed term not tied to speech
lightning fast
vsfast
  • Informal
6 3.6

Happening or moving very quickly

is the plain label for speed without extra emphasis
speedily
vsfast
6 2.4

To act quickly without delay

covers the same rapidity but in broader everyday use
double quick
vsfast
  • Informal
4 4.1

Very fast, without delay

is the standard everyday term for speed without urgency
superfast
vsfast
2 3.2

Moving or working much faster than usual

is the normal term for high speed without hyperbole
at a good clip
vsfast
  • Informal
1 6.0

Moving at a fairly fast speed

is the broad common word not implying a steady pace
with a quickness
vsfast
  • Informal
1 7.2

In a very short time

is the neutral descriptor without extra urgency
quick as a flash
vsfast
  • Informal
1 2.0

Happen very fast

is the common term for speed without instant focus
like Speedy Gonzales
vsfast
  • Informal
1 8.0

In a very quick way, like someone running fast

is the neutral descriptor without playful cultural tone
at lightspeed
vsfast
  • Informal
1 5.1

To happen or be done very quickly

is the regular everyday word for speed without exaggeration
in quick sticks
vsfast
  • Archaic
9.9

Very quickly and in a hurry

means quick action but not necessarily careless or rushed

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

Moving or happening at a low speed

Idioms

not so fast
  • Informal
82 5.8

Tell someone to slow down when they act too quickly

20 2.5

Resting very deeply and not easy to wake

in the fast lane
  • Informal
15 6.4

Living a life full of excitement and danger

12 8.3

To trick someone in a clever way so they do not notice

9 8.0

Act in a careless way by ignoring rules and other people's feelings

8 5.2

A way of spending time that is exciting, fast, and often risky

Compounds

154 1.0

Cheap food that is already cooked and sold to eat quickly, like hamburgers or fried chicken

75 3.5

Something that gets much bigger or more common very quickly

61 3.9

A quick route to success or promotion

34 2.5

A speed that is quicker than usual for a task or activity

26 3.9

Happening very quickly with a lot of action

fast lane
  • Informal
17 5.8

A very busy, exciting life that often brings risk and pressure

fast one
  • Informal
17 8.2

A clever trick used to cheat someone

11 5.7

Very clear rules or limits that do not allow change

fast break
  • Jargon
10 3.5

A quick attack where a team moves fast down the court to score before the defense sets up

A fixed instruction you cannot change or adapt

lightning fast
  • Informal
6 3.6

Happening or moving very quickly

5 2.8

A road lane for vehicles that move faster than other lanes

4 1.9

A quick help that has very little waiting time

A place where things change and happen very quickly

fast buck
  • Slang
3 7.9

Money earned quickly, often by dishonest or easy ways

fast reactor
  • Specialized
3 8.4

A nuclear reactor that uses fast neutrons without a moderator to make energy

1 5.9

A day when people do not eat for religious or spiritual reasons

1 3.7

Moving quickly through the air like a bird or a jet

A way of living with constant activity and little time to rest

fast time scale
  • Specialized
1 7.7

A way of running a simulation where time moves faster than real life

1 7.4

A person who becomes successful or well known very quickly

A Jewish fast kept by firstborn sons the day before Passover to remember how they were saved in Egypt

A one-day event when many Jews do not eat or drink before Purim to remember Esther

1 9.9

A major Jewish fast on the ninth day of Av that remembers the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem

A Jewish day when people do not eat or drink from dawn to dusk to remember Jerusalem's walls being broken

A set of computer rules that lets local devices send secure messages and manage a network

fast mate
  • Informal
6.6

A close friend who spends a lot of time with you

A major Jewish day when people do not eat to remember when the temples were destroyed in Jerusalem

A day in the Jewish calendar when Jews do not eat or drink to remember Gedaliah's killing

A minor Jewish fast on the tenth of Tevet to remember the siege of Jerusalem and Holocaust victims

A very important Jewish day when people fast, like Yom Kippur or Tisha B'Av

A day in Judaism when adults fast from dawn to nightfall but can do normal work

How Fast

rapidly
356 1.4
swiftly
75 1.0
fast
∞ 1.0
quickly
∞ 1.0
slowly
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

fast positive
faster comparative
fastest superlative

Etymology

Fast meaning 'quick' can be remembered with a simple image: something done so strongly or suddenly that it happens in a short time. A helpful way to remember it is to think of an action that is 'at high speed', which is why fast means 'quick' today.