fast-twitch

American

[fast-twich, fahst-] / ˈfæstˌtwɪtʃ, ˈfɑst- /

Or fasttwitch

adjective

Physiology.

of or relating to muscle fiber that contracts relatively rapidly, utilized especially in actions requiring maximum effort of short duration, as sprinting (distinguished from slow-twitch).

Compare meaning

How does fast-twitch compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

fast-twitch vs. slow-twitch

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And it’s all thanks to $150,000 pieces of technology—and the fast-twitch virtuosos who pilot them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Age-related loss of a specific fast-twitch muscle fibre subtype, key for explosive muscle performance, was also observed4.

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2024

According to Bohannon, this may be because women have more so-called slow-twitch muscle fibers than men, whose bodies favor fast-twitch muscles.

From Salon • Oct. 11, 2023

Powerful, nimble, the fast-twitch fibres of a cheetah.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2022

“So they would just do very intense explosive type weight training. And this develops fast-twitch muscle fiber, and the benefits that will come will carry over. It’s not just that they got this boost.”

From New York Times • Mar. 25, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023