fast track

¹

noun

1. a racetrack dry and hard enough for optimum speed.
2. a railroad track for express trains.
3. Informal. a situation or course of action that is intensely pressured or competitive, especially one in which a person advances rapidly to a higher level in a business or profession:

   With two promotions in six months, he seems to have chosen the fast track.

fast-track

²

[ fast-trak, fahst- ]

verb (used with or without object)

1. to advance or develop rapidly.

adjective

1. of or relating to the fast track.

fast-track

adjective

1. denoting the quickest or most direct route or system

   a fast-track procedure for libel claims

   fast-track executives

verb

1. tr to speed up the progress of (a project or person)

Other Words From

• fast-tracker noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fast track¹

First recorded in 1830–40

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. on a / the fast track, Informal.
   1. advancing or being promoted more rapidly than usual, especially in business or other organizational positions:

      an executive on the fast track.

   2. expanding or being developed or handled rapidly and often innovatively: Compare fast lane.

      a company on the fast track in computer technology.

More idioms and phrases containing fast track

A situation involving high pressure, competition, and, especially, rapid success or advancement. For example, He was definitely on a fast track, becoming a partner after only five years in the firm , or This company was on the fast track in software development . This term alludes to a dry, hard horse track that enables horses to run at high speeds. [ Colloquial ; mid-1960s] Also see fast lane .

Example Sentences

The storybook Final Four run put Loyola on the fast track to building a team like this year’s.

From FiveThirtyEight

Now, as vaccines remain hard to get and the pandemic continues to weigh on the economy, corporate giants are tapping their logistical and technological resources to help fast track vaccinations to their communities.

From Washington Post

“Ever since Quip was acquired Taylor seemed to be on the fast track, becoming president and chief product officer less than a year-and-a-half after the acquisition, and then two years later being promoted to chief operating officer,” Leary said.

From TechCrunch

Although being a literal monopoly, with no available competition of any kind, can put you on the fast track to investigation, the law has broader concerns.

From Ars Technica

Barrett is on a fast track for Senate confirmation before Election Day.

From Washington Post

On the contrary, if the Court now decides to hear this case on the merits, it might be a fast-track.

From The Daily Beast

In the 1970s, Bergoglio was on a fast track in the church hierarchy.

From The Daily Beast

“Fiscal Cliff Talk Gets Fast Track,” in The Wall Street Journal.

From The Daily Beast

With that math, the amount already accomplished shows Occupy SMS on a fast track to becoming a major player in the relief effort.

From The Daily Beast

Then it would likely be fast track to presidential candidate.

From The Daily Beast

There wasn't any use of anyone telling us to go slow, this wasn't any fast track.

From Project Gutenberg