rapid

1 of 2

adjective

rap·​id ˈra-pəd How to pronounce rapid (audio)
: marked by a fast rate of motion, activity, succession, or occurrence
rapidly adverb
rapidness noun

rapid

2 of 2

noun

: a part of a river where the current is fast and the surface is usually broken by obstructions
usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction
Choose the Right Synonym for rapid

fast, rapid, swift, fleet, quick, speedy, hasty, expeditious mean moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity.

fast and rapid are very close in meaning, but fast applies particularly to the thing that moves

fast horses

and rapid to the movement itself.

rapid current

swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement.

returned the ball with one swift stroke

fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment

speedy delivery of mail

and may also suggest unusual velocity.

hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.

a hasty inspection

expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.

the expeditious handling of an order

Examples of rapid in a Sentence

Adjective There's been rapid growth in the number of new businesses in the town. Scientists are concerned about the rapid disappearance of the island's coral reefs. She carefully guided the boat through the rapid water.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
California experienced rapid population growth over the last two decades of the 20th century, due to a wave of migration from other states and a baby boom. Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2024 In addition, rapid progress was reported Friday toward full bloom of the cherry trees at the Tidal Basin, where they have long been recognized as flowering symbols of spring in Washington. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 After years of rapid growth, California’s almond industry struggles amid low prices. Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Utah today, home to the global Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a story of rapid growth. Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Mar. 2024 Many economists thought the rapid rate hikes could potentially tip the country into recession, but that hasn’t happened. Matt Ott, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024 This rapid change prompts the collagen and elastin in your skin to rupture, causing stretch marks to appear. Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 7 Mar. 2024 Just consider the impact of the release and rapid scaling of ChatGPT, which transformed the worldview of nearly everyone except the small number of workers who had previously experienced generative AI. Deborah Wince-Smith, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 The rapid switch from drive-by to date night was by criminal design, the prosecutor told jurors. Harriet Ryan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024
Noun
The river, its banks, and its gradient are transforming so fast that boater informational guides can’t keep up with new beaches forming and old ones slumping away, temporary rapids created from mud moving downstream, and historic rapids resurrecting. Cassidy Randall, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2024 Per the official synopsis, once the group become stranded in raging rapids, the thrill-seeking trip quickly turns from exciting to utterly terrifying as the rafters are trapped in a desperate fight for their lives, all while someone seems intent on sabotage to ensure shocking secrets stay buried. Lauren Huff, EW.com, 13 July 2023 Just upstream of Glen Canyon, 65 percent of Cataract Canyon was also flooded, and many of its fearsome rapids disappeared. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Jan. 2024 Two years ago, science journalist Melissa Sevigny retraced their adventure, whitewater rafting the same rapids and sleeping under the stars to learn more about who these women were—and why their work still influences the scientific landscape of America today. Shraddha Chowdhury, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Nov. 2023 The water was plenty cold, but not too high, making the rapids more manageable. Billy Baker, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Apr. 2023 Inexperienced paddlers should stick to calm water without a lot of rapids. Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 14 Dec. 2023 On the other side of the globe last week, winding Hong Kong streets became surging rapids. Theodora Yu, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2023 With fewer strong flows to whisk this debris away, more of it is piling up at those bends and rapids. Raymond Zhong, New York Times, 6 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rapid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from French & Latin; French rapide, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin rapidus "(of water) flowing violently enough to sweep anything along in its path, swiftly moving, quick," from rapere "to seize and carry off, carry or sweep along" + -idus, adjective suffix; rapere perhaps going back to pre-Latin *rep-, secondary zero-grade from presumed *erp-, going back to Indo-European *h1rp-, zero-grade of a base *h1rep- "seize, pluck," whence also Lithuanian aprė́piu, aprė́pti "to surround, include," Albanian rjep "removes, robs," Greek ereptómenos "feeding on, devouring"

Noun

borrowed from French rapide, noun derivative of rapide, adjective, "swiftly moving, rapid entry 1"

First Known Use

Adjective

1634, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1765, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rapid was in 1634

Dictionary Entries Near rapid

Cite this Entry

“Rapid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rapid. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rapid

1 of 2 adjective
rap·​id ˈrap-əd How to pronounce rapid (audio)
: very fast
rapidity
rə-ˈpid-ət-ē
ra-
noun
rapidly adverb
rapidness noun

rapid

2 of 2 noun
: a part of a river where the current flows fast usually over rocks
usually used in plural

More from Merriam-Webster on rapid

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