hurried

adjective

hur·​ried ˈhər-ēd 

ˈhə-rəd

1

: going or working at speed

a hurried waitress

2

: done in a hurry : hasty

a hurried departure

hurriedly

ˈhər-əd-lē 

ˈhə-rəd-

adverb

hurriedness

ˈhər-ēd-nəs 

ˈhə-rēd-

noun

Synonyms

• cursory
• drive-by
• flying
• gadarene
• hasty
• headlong
• helter-skelter
• overhasty
• pell-mell
• precipitate
• precipitous
• rash
• rushed

Examples of hurried in a Sentence

The general was forced to make a hurried decision.

She had a hurried meeting with her advisers before speaking to the press.

Recent Examples on the Web

Mings’ handball turned out to be decisive and Emery, speaking in a hurried post-match press conference, partially blamed his team’s loss on the incident. —Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024

Conservative news website Townhall followed one minute after Jones, posting a clip of Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes giving a hurried initial news conference. —David Ingram, NBC News, 21 Dec. 2024

Where the first was hurried and fumbling, the couple take their time, prolonging the foreplay. —Amy Wilkinson, Vulture, 23 Nov. 2024

Since joining the agency as its first international marketing manager in late 2023, Pilcher — a permanently hurried but endlessly chipper type who’s been in the industry for more than two decades — has been showing off New Jersey to FIFA officials, South Korean bureaucrats, and Irish camera crews. —Will Peischel, Curbed, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1667, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

hurried

adjective

hur·​ried

ˈhər-ēd,

ˈhə-rēd

1

: going or working with speed

a hurried waitress

2

: done in a hurry

a hurried meal

hurriedly

ˈhər-əd-lē

ˈhə-rəd-

adverb