rapidly
Americanadverb
-
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.
Also, “inflation risks extend beyond crude oil. Gasoline and diesel prices have increased more rapidly than crude, making energy costs effectively higher than headline oil prices suggest,” the strategists add.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Molten aluminum is forced into a mold and rapidly cooled, emerging as a fully formed engine block.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Their dreams often moved rapidly between scenes, ideas, or perspectives.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
"We signed with many publishers in the US, big names in the Middle East. Things are moving very rapidly."
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
But then her legs pressed in harder, and in her stomach she felt the distinct sickness of rising rapidly.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
