at lightspeed
1
5.1
- idiom
- Informal
:
a la velocidad de la luz
- In today's fast-paced world, information spreads at lightspeed across social media platforms.
- travel at lightspeed
The business world is changing at lightspeed.
- The business world is changing at lightspeed.
- And they're able to capture these quasi arbitrages and they do battle at lightspeed in today's markets.
Examples
-
He goes on to note that targeting options are improving at light speed, and that advertisers can be as specific or even more so than on television broadcasts.
Blog text (21) -
The technology industry is evolving at lightspeed, making innovations accessible almost overnight.
-
Teachers are the reason science and society have advanced at light speed for the last half century.
Blog text (29) -
But, boy, is mobile gonna be passing it by at light speed soon?
Blog text (21) -
We're going out of here at lightspeed.
-
Technology moves at lightspeed compared to the law.
Blog text (22) -
With technology's ability to circulate information at light speed, the traditional six-month cycle that spanned from runway coverage to retail availability has been completely obliterated.
Blog text (6) -
The team's productivity increased dramatically as they began working at lightspeed to meet the deadline.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Moving or happening quickly
∞
1.0
At a fast speed or without delay
446
1.4
In a very short time
330
1.0
Right away without any delay
84
1.0
Quickly and smoothly
50
3.3
Very quickly, in almost no time
35
2.5
Very quickly in a single moment
25
5.6
Happen at once without delay
6
3.6
Happening or moving very quickly
5
3.9
Very quickly, often when someone talks or acts
2
4.2
Happens almost instantly
1
3.2
Moving or working much faster than usual
1
6.0
Moving at a fairly fast speed
1
2.0
Happen very fast
1
8.0
In a very quick way, like someone running fast
Very quickly, in almost no time
In a very fast way that happens almost instantly
Very fast, without delay
In a very short time
Very quickly and in a hurry
Antonyms
How Fast
- Informal
1
5.1
10
6.7
- Informal
6
3.6
∞
1.0
∞
1.0
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
at + lightspeed
The phrase combines the locative/measure preposition 'at' with 'lightspeed' (the speed of light), so its meaning 'at a very fast rate' is directly derivable from the constituents. Though metaphorical, the construction follows a regular rate-of-motion pattern and has clear cross‑linguistic parallels (e.g. 'a la velocidad de la luz'), so a B1 learner who knows the parts will understand it.
Etymology
At lightspeed comes from the image of moving as fast as light or at full speed, like a flash you can hardly follow. That's why it means 'very quickly'.