quickly
Americanadverb
Commonly Confused
See quick.
Etymology
Origin of quickly
Explanation
When you do something quickly, you do it really fast — like when you quickly eat breakfast so you won’t be late to school. The adverb quickly can describe any action that’s done at great speed. If you see a wolf running quickly, that means it’s moving rapidly and you’d better hide quickly. Quickly can also carry the sense of doing something without delay or hesitation. Sometimes quickly has a connotation of not putting much thought or effort into something, like when you quickly do your math homework.
Vocabulary lists containing quickly
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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.
In its own statement, BuzzFeed said “We are extremely fortunate that Byron has enormous confidence in our management team and moved very quickly to reposition this company and unlock its value.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Tracy said this had happened often and the helpline operator quickly ended the call after Harris said everything had been fine.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
The strong winds helped the flames travel quickly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Brandon Nelson of Calamos Investments and his colleagues seek to identify small-cap companies with a “unique edge” allowing them to widen their profit margins as they increase revenue quickly.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
I run my hand over the back, shocked by how quickly my hair stops.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
