rapidly
Americanadverb
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within a short period of time.
There are thousands of languages spoken in the world today, but many of them are rapidly approaching obsolescence and extinction.
-
with great speed; swiftly.
Bats are more likely than birds to detect rapidly spinning turbine blades and avoid flying into them.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rapidly
Explanation
When you do something rapidly, you do it very quickly. A rapidly moving train is going at full speed. You may notice that the grass in your yard grows rapidly during the rainy summer days and more slowly when there's a heat wave. You might also get a speeding ticket for driving too rapidly in a school zone. In either case, something's happening fast. The adverb rapidly comes from the adjective rapid, "moving quickly," with the Latin root rapidus, "hasty, swift, fierce, or impetuous."
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.
The letter warns, external cyber-attacks which use AI will become both more widespread and more sophisticated in a matter of months as the technology rapidly improves.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Pulsar Timing Arrays rely on rapidly spinning neutron stars known as pulsars, which act as extraordinarily precise clocks in space.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
Earlier in our conversation, which veers rapidly across his prolific career, he held up a series of storyboards scrawled on white paper.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
They also will need to hire and retain the right business minds, especially leaders who can structure the company around a rapidly moving target.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
“I’ll see if I can make some extra soap this month,” she said, steam rapidly patterning her forehead with beads of sweat that pooled in the creases of her frown.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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.
