fast lane

American  

[fast leyn] / ˈfæst ˌleɪn /

noun

1. Also called express lane.  the lane of a multilane roadway that is used by fast-moving vehicles, as when passing slower traffic.

2. Informal. any scene, activity, or pursuit that is exciting, high-pressured, competitive, swift-moving, and sometimes dissipated or dangerous.

   Alcoholism and stress are often the price for living life in the fast lane.

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fast lane British  

noun

1. the outside lane on a motorway or dual carriageway for vehicles overtaking or travelling at high speed

2. informal the quickest but most competitive route to success

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fast lane Idioms  

1. Also, life in the fast lane. A lifestyle that involves free spending and self-indulgence, and sometimes also dissipation and danger. For example, They're finding that life in the fast lane can be very stressful. This term alludes to the highway express lane used by faster vehicles to pass slower ones. [Colloquial; c. 1970] Also see fast track.

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Etymology

Origin of fast lane

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

A van driver who crashed into a broken-down car in a smart motorway's fast lane has been found guilty of causing death by careless driving.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

Like Pitt hopping back into blockbuster fare, it must feel good to take a little joyride in the fast lane whenever you want, not having to be burdened by what’s in the rearview mirror.

From Salon • Jun. 30, 2025

Steve Prefontaine’s days in the fast lane, the history of the restaurant menu, William F. Buckley Jr.’s magnetism and more.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2025

The non-jury trial could offer a peek into the band’s creative process and life in the fast lane of ’70s stardom.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 19, 2024

Speeding down this fast lane, Homo sapiens soon far outstripped all other human and animal species in its ability to cooperate.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari