rapidly

adverb

Definition of rapidlynext
as in quickly
with great speed summer vacation has gone by way too rapidly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 rapidly In Congress, crypto companies are pushing for market-structure rules, AI firms are battling over how Washington will regulate their rapidly expanding industry, and sports-betting operators are confronting regulatory fights. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026 The storm could rapidly intensify in those conditions, but forecasters said a blockade of storm-shredding wind shear near the coast could slow it slightly before landfall. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 Invariably, the goal of this kind of espionage is to help key sectors in the spying country rapidly replicate or surpass American advances. — David S. Cohen, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2026 The neutral palette feels a little more friendly and relaxed rather than dark and serious, which adds a certain brightness back into the rapidly darkening days. — Bianca Kratky, Glamour, 8 Oct. 2026 With global climate change enabling more tropical cyclones to rapidly intensify, the Hurricane Center has been making more bullish first forecasts for certain storms, including Isaias. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026 Ongoing budget cuts to the city’s urban forestry division plus rapidly intensifying heat waves have advocates looking for other solutions. — Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 But a low percentage of a rapidly expanding population still produces a rising number of older adults in absolute terms, and that number may continue to rise as the residents who arrived during the past two decades of growth age in place. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Oct. 2026 As artificial intelligence rapidly evolves to make financial scams hyperrealistic, cybersecurity experts warn that the best defense isn't sophisticated detection software. — Staff, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rapidly
  1. quickly
  2. swiftly
  3. fast
  4. quick
  5. soon
Adverb
  • Ruerup quickly rose through the ranks at Oxxford, gaining experience with everything from product and design to marketing and technology.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • As the most lethal and airborne variant of the infection, pneumonic plague is nearly always fatal unless specific antibiotics are given quickly.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of quickly
Adverb
  • Authorities swiftly placed around 200 people under strict medical observation.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
  • However, Jim is sticking with CEO Ernie Herrman, who promised on TJX's post-earnings call that fixes were swiftly put in place and already starting to bear fruit in the current quarter.
    — Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of swiftly
Adverb
  • With this fast-approaching launch date and the program’s brief approval window, travelers could have an Argentine passport in hand in a matter of months.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • India, which remains the world's fastest-growing major economy, is among the countries most vulnerable to the supply disruptions caused by the Iran war.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of fast
Adverb
  • The hope is that the mRNA vaccine can target emerging strains quicker, according to the CDC.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The ribbed knit is absorbent and quick-drying with a combed cotton material that’s ultra-soft to the touch.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of quick
Adverb
  • The rare show of alignment among fierce rivals was soon countered by comments from Meta’s Zuckerberg and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, both of whom dismissed the slowdown idea.
    — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Now, the full-scale deployment of the ClarosTechUV PFAS destruction system is soon to take place at Daikin’s manufacturing facility in Decatur.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of soon

Browse Nearby Words

rapidity
rapidly
rapidness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rapidly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rapidly. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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