Synonyms of swift

swift 1 of 2

adjective

ˈswift 

as in rapid

moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed

the sleekest, swiftest boat ever to have sailed in the regatta

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rapid
• quick
• brisk
• fast
• galloping
• speedy
• hasty
• whirlwind
• lightning
• rattling
• rapid-fire
• hurried
• blistering
• breathless
• zippy
• fleet
• flying
• hot
• splitting
• snappy
• breakneck
• accelerated
• expeditious
• nippy
• dizzy
• fleet-footed
• prompt
• at speed
• rushed
• vigorous
• ready
• strong
• breathtaking
• quickened
• strenuous
• high-speed
• rush
• energetic
• hastened
• ultrafast
• ultrarapid

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slow
• sluggish
• unhurried
• deliberate
• dragging
• languid
• crawling
• leisurely
• pokey
• plodding
• lingering
• laggard
• poky
• measured
• dallying
• slowish
• late
• tardy
• dilatory
• dillydallying
• dawdling
• poking
• ultraslow

swift

2 of 2

adverb

as in quick

with great speed

tried to cross the swift-flowing river

Synonyms & Similar Words

• quick
• quickly
• fast
• rapidly
• swiftly
• soon
• hot
• promptly
• immediately
• speedily
• hastily
• in short order
• in a hurry
• briskly
• by leaps and bounds
• at full tilt
• like a shot
• double-quick
• at full throttle
• like wildfire
• fleetly
• apace
• a mile a minute
• presto
• like gangbusters
• lickety-split
• hell-for-leather
• chop-chop
• abruptly
• pronto
• posthaste
• full tilt
• snappily
• readily
• recklessly
• vigorously
• impulsively
• rashly
• impetuously
• suddenly
• energetically

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slowly
• slow
• sluggishly
• deliberately
• leisurely
• lingeringly
• ploddingly
• laggardly
• belatedly
• tardily
• delinquently

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective swift contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of swift are expeditious, fast, fleet, hasty, quick, rapid, and speedy. While all these words mean "moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity," swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement.

returned the ball with one swift stroke

When can expeditious be used instead of swift?

The words expeditious and swift are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.

the expeditious handling of an order

How are the words fast and rapid related as synonyms of swift?

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

fast horses

When would fleet be a good substitute for swift?

The synonyms fleet and swift are sometimes interchangeable, but fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

When is hasty a more appropriate choice than swift?

The meanings of hasty and swift largely overlap; however, hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.

a hasty inspection

In what contexts can quick take the place of swift?

Although the words quick and swift have much in common, quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

Where would rapid be a reasonable alternative to swift?

In some situations, the words rapid and swift are roughly equivalent. However, rapid applies to the movement itself, rather than to the thing that moves.

rapid current

When could speedy be used to replace swift?

While the synonyms speedy and swift are close in meaning, speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment and may also suggest unusual velocity.

speedy delivery of mail

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of swift

Adjective

The directive prompted swift pushback from some department heads, with some agencies – like the Department of Defense – telling employees not to respond. —Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2025

Hwang Sun-jae, a sociologist who studies fertility norms, traces the swift dissemination of low fertility in part to social media’s role as an accelerant of global monoculture. —Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025

Adverb

As of Monday, Golden Police Chief Bill Kilpatrick and Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Schrader are restricting water activities on Clear Creek because of swift-moving water and floating debris. —Kirk Mitchell, The Denver Post, 1 July 2019

By The Numbers 5 The forecast for Colorado’s 2019 whitewater rafting season: Rad, thanks to epic snowfall this winter that will likely spell swift-moving rivers. —Joe Nguyen, The Denver Post, 19 June 2019