quick 1 of 3

adjective

ˈkwik How to pronounce quick (audio)
Definition of quicknext
1
as in swift
having or showing the ability to respond without delay or hesitation she's a quick wit, always ready with a pun or joke when the moment calls for one

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fast
having or showing quickness of mind a quick lad, he immediately caught on to how the machinery operated

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in rapid
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed a quick run through the car wash, and your vehicle will look as good as new

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in breathing
having or showing life after the battle, there was a hurried accounting of the quick and the dead

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in keen
able to sense slight impressions or differences parlayed her quick eye for beauty into ownership of a top modeling agency

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in gone
archaic containing unborn young within the body a woman quick with child

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

quick

2 of 3

adverb

as in quickly
with great speed watch out, as the cars pass by here pretty quick

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

quick

3 of 3

noun

as in heart
the seat of one's deepest thoughts and emotions that nasty comment cut me to the quick

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective quick contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of quick are apt, prompt, and ready. While all these words mean "able to respond without delay or hesitation or indicative of such ability," quick stresses instancy of response and is likely to connote native rather than acquired power.

quick reflexes
a keen quick mind

When is apt a more appropriate choice than quick?

The words apt and quick can be used in similar contexts, but apt stresses the possession of qualities (such as intelligence, a particular talent, or a strong bent) that makes quick effective response possible.

an apt student
her answer was apt and to the point

Where would prompt be a reasonable alternative to quick?

While the synonyms prompt and quick are close in meaning, prompt is more likely to connote training and discipline that fits one for instant response.

prompt emergency medical care

When is it sensible to use ready instead of quick?

The meanings of ready and quick largely overlap; however, ready suggests facility or fluency in response.

backed by a pair of ready assistants

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 quick
Adjective
Here’s a quick rundown of the top stories, from a landmark tech settlement to a whistleblower’s push for state intervention. — Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Advertisement Her opponents were quick to criticize her for the remark. — Chantelle Lee, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
Adverb
Home values there simultaneously climbed quicker than for business, the report notes. — A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 The beginning of the fire was widely mistaken as a special effect put on by the pop group performing at the time, and the flames spread quicker than clubbers could realize what was happening. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Noun
As one of the marquee burners in the talent-rich fields of Los Angeles, Ross has Power 4 quicks — Notre Dame, Washington and Auburn were among the blue-blood offers — on a mid-major frame (5-foot-10, 180 pounds). — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2025 The 34-year-old won’t evade defenders with his quicks but repeatedly beats coverage off the first move and wins in traffic. — Ben Standig, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for quick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quick
  1. swift
  2. fast
  3. rapid
  4. alive
  5. keen
  6. gone
  7. quickly
  8. heart
Adjective
  • Dawadi’s quick thinking and swift response during the disaster have been hailed as an act of heroism.
    — Shonal Ganguly, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Analysts point out that if tech companies fail to beat market expectations, their stock prices could face swift downward pressure.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of swift
Adjective
  • Jade Gao | Afp | Getty Images Shares of Shein fell 9% in their Hong Kong trading debut Tuesday, after a tepid IPO that saw the fast-fashion giant's valuation drop to nearly a quarter from its peak.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The 100-meter sprint in Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval brought together the world’s fastest runners, hurtling along at breakneck speed to shrieks of excitement from a captivated crowd.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of fast
Adjective
  • Fire officials said the combination of dry brush and strong winds fueled the blaze's rapid growth.
    — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The quarterback struggles in camp bring into the realm of possibility Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan seeking an outside backup option off the waiver wire following roster cuts if Ewers doesn’t show rapid improvement.
    — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of rapid
Adjective
  • One of the more remarkable streaks in the history of this nearly century-old racetrack is still alive.
    — Jay Posner, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Your life, your time, your moment is among the best to be alive in human history.
    — Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of alive
Adjective
  • Star Arnold Schwarzenegger was keen to do a sequel, but Cameron was busy with other projects, including Aliens in 1986 (another killer sequel).
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Some keen advice from an industry survivor like Paltrow on how to laugh off the haters could come in handy.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of keen
Adjective
  • Suddenly, photos, videos, or important documents are just… gone.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 15 May 2026
  • Room by room, the author takes us through the house, now long gone.
    — Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of gone
Adverb
  • Some come so quickly that there’s barely time to process how they were accomplished.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Besides faulty lactose digestion, nonwhite bodies were accused of other failures, too, such as aldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency, an inability to digest alcohol quickly.
    — Hilary Smith, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of quickly
Noun
  • The way the central couple navigates the twists, turns, roadblocks and unforced errors that entangle their budding relationship is the beating heart of these films.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The approval was based on results from a trial that showed Mounjaro outperformed Trulicity in reducing the risk of major heart events.
    — Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of heart

Browse Nearby Words

quibbling
quick
quicken
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Cite this Entry

“Quick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quick. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on quick

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about quick

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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