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Definition of speednext

speed

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun speed contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of speed are dispatch, expedition, haste, and hurry. While all these words mean "quickness in movement or action," speed suggests swift efficiency in movement or action.

exercises to increase your reading speed

How are the words expedition and dispatch related as synonyms of speed?

Expedition and dispatch both imply speed and efficiency in handling affairs but expedition stresses ease or efficiency of performance and dispatch stresses promptness in concluding matters.

the case came to trial with expedition
paid bills with dispatch

Where would haste be a reasonable alternative to speed?

The words haste and speed can be used in similar contexts, but haste applies to personal action and implies urgency and precipitancy and often rashness.

marry in haste

When might hurry be a better fit than speed?

The synonyms hurry and speed are sometimes interchangeable, but hurry often has a strong suggestion of agitated bustle or confusion.

in the hurry of departure she forgot her toothbrush

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 speed
Noun
There have been a lot more flourishes of speed coming through the middle of the ice, from Matthews, especially. Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026 This is to some extent a consequence of how quickly the government had to act in the face of that emergency, a catch-22 between ensuring that the money would be going to actually help people who needed it and having to get billions out the door at lightning-speed. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
Lurie streamlined housing approvals, re-organized and sped up city safety responses, launched an anti-homelessness campaign and won a 73 percent approval rating among local voters. Thomas D. Elias, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026 The driver sped off after an agent smashed the driver’s side window. Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for speed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speed
Noun
  • Depending on the configuration and the mass-ratio, the spacecraft could go even faster, with some estimates placing its top velocity at 5% the speed of light.
    Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
  • This means that there is a way of stretching the velocity curve in one frame to match the steeper velocity curve in a later frame.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Her favorite is the coca de dacsa, which comes with tuna, grated tomato, onion, and egg, plus an anchovy on top.
    Liz Provencher, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
  • For more of the best deals in Lululemon’s End of Season Sale, check out our favorites below, including long- and short-sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, pants, leggings, bags, and more.
    Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The Clippers raced to a 14-5 lead, but the Knicks answered with eight straight points and the game was close for the first three quarters.
    CBS News, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • In Altadena, employees with the small local water utilities raced across town protecting and fixing the water systems firefighters relied on.
    Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • To receive the senior rate, a person must apply to the Rogers Water Utilities and present satisfactory proof of age, such as a government issued identification card, driver's license, passport or birth certificate.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Interest rates go up on longer-term loans Yes, extending the term of a mortgage from 30 to 50 years could drop the monthly payment, wrote Richard Green, a professor at the University of Southern California, on LinkedIn.
    Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • This is partly due to personal preference, but leaving plants standing through winter also helps certain plants grow better and even provides perks to local wildlife.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Jan. 2026
  • Staff greet returning guests by name and remember preferences without prompting.
    Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Rafiq thanked the shopkeeper and hurried out of the bazaar’s maze-like structure to find his car.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Caracas, Venezuela — The morning after US forces bombed Caracas, dragged President Nicolás Maduro out of bed, carted him over the Caribbean and installed him in a Brooklyn jail, many Venezuelans hurried to the grocery store.
    Mary Triny Mena, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The slim design makes this perfect for travelling, with easy stowing in suitcases or backpacks.
    Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Despite the losses, Damon traveled to Texas and won the national title, dedicating the victory to his family and supporters.
    Nina Burns, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • First responders in Atlanta rushed to an airport runway Tuesday after an aircraft experienced a harrowing landing failure, with all eight of its landing tires bursting the moment the plane touched down, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
    Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Lopez rushed her back to the emergency room, where an MRI revealed a diagnosis of transverse myelitis, a rare inflammatory disorder affecting the spinal cord.
    Leondra Head, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Speed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speed. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on speed

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