Idioms are vibrant, expressive phrases that add flair and personality to our language, often conveying meanings far beyond their literal words. They’re like linguistic shortcuts, packing a punch of imagery and emotion into just a few words. When it comes to describing speed—whether it’s moving quickly, thinking on your feet, or getting things done in a flash—idioms bring a dynamic energy to conversations. For anyone looking to spice up their vocabulary, learning idioms about speed can make communication more engaging and relatable, especially in fast-paced situations. These expressions are not only fun to use but also help you connect with others by painting vivid pictures of rapid action or urgency. In this blog post, we’ll explore 45 idioms that capture the essence of “fast,” complete with their meanings, example sentences, and alternative ways to say them. Plus, we’ve included a practical exercise to help you master these phrases and a conclusion to wrap it all up. Buckle up and let’s dive into the lightning-fast world of idioms!
Idioms for Fast
1. Quick as a flash
Meaning: Extremely fast or instantaneous.
In a Sentence: As soon as the bell rang, she was out of the classroom quick as a flash, eager to meet her friends at the park.
Other Ways to Say: Fast as lightning, In a jiffy
2. Like a bat out of hell
Meaning: Moving extremely fast, often recklessly.
In a Sentence: When he heard the fire alarm, he ran out of the building like a bat out of hell, not stopping to grab his bag.
Other Ways to Say: Crazy fast, Like a shot
3. In the blink of an eye
Meaning: Happening so quickly it’s almost unnoticeable.
In a Sentence: The magician made the rabbit disappear in the blink of an eye, leaving the audience stunned.
Other Ways to Say: Instantly, In a split second
4. Faster than a speeding bullet
Meaning: Incredibly fast, often beyond normal limits.
In a Sentence: The new sports car zoomed past us on the highway, faster than a speeding bullet, leaving everyone in awe.
Other Ways to Say: Super swift, Like a rocket
5. Swift as the wind
Meaning: Moving with great speed and grace.
In a Sentence: The cheetah darted across the savanna, swift as the wind, chasing its prey with unmatched agility.
Other Ways to Say: Quick as a breeze, Fleet-footed
6. At the drop of a hat
Meaning: Happening immediately without hesitation.
In a Sentence: She’s always ready to help her friends at the drop of a hat, no matter how busy her schedule is.
Other Ways to Say: Right away, Without delay
7. Like greased lightning
Meaning: Extremely fast and smooth.
In a Sentence: The skateboarder flew down the ramp like greased lightning, landing a perfect trick to the crowd’s cheers.
Other Ways to Say: Slick and fast, Like a bolt
8. In a heartbeat
Meaning: Happening very quickly or instantly.
In a Sentence: If given the chance to travel the world, I’d say yes in a heartbeat without a second thought.
Other Ways to Say: Right now, In an instant
9. Hit the ground running
Meaning: Starting something quickly and energetically.
In a Sentence: She joined the new project team and hit the ground running, contributing ideas from the very first meeting.
Other Ways to Say: Dive right in, Get started fast
10. Fast and furious
Meaning: Happening with intense speed and energy.
In a Sentence: The basketball game was fast and furious, with both teams racing up and down the court relentlessly.
Other Ways to Say: High-speed, Action-packed
11. Quick on the draw
Meaning: Reacting or responding very quickly.
In a Sentence: During the debate, he was quick on the draw, answering every question with confidence and precision.
Other Ways to Say: Sharp-witted, Fast to respond
12. In a New York minute
Meaning: Happening almost instantly, emphasizing speed.
In a Sentence: If you offered her a ticket to the concert, she’d be there in a New York minute, no questions asked.
Other Ways to Say: In a flash, Super quick
13. Like a shot
Meaning: Moving or acting very quickly.
In a Sentence: When the coach called his name, he sprinted to the field like a shot, ready to join the game.
Other Ways to Say: In a hurry, Swiftly
14. Quick as a wink
Meaning: Happening in an extremely short time.
In a Sentence: The toddler grabbed the cookie from the plate quick as a wink before anyone could stop him.
Other Ways to Say: In a snap, Instantly
15. Off like a rocket
Meaning: Starting or moving with explosive speed.
In a Sentence: The runners took off like a rocket when the starting gun fired, each vying for the lead.
Other Ways to Say: Blasting off, Zooming away
16. At breakneck speed
Meaning: Moving dangerously fast.
In a Sentence: The cyclist sped down the hill at breakneck speed, thrilling the onlookers with his daring.
Other Ways to Say: Recklessly fast, At full tilt
17. Like nobody’s business
Meaning: Doing something extremely well or fast.
In a Sentence: She types like nobody’s business, finishing her essays in half the time it takes others.
Other Ways to Say: Incredibly fast, Like a pro
18. In the twinkling of an eye
Meaning: Happening almost instantly.
In a Sentence: The fireworks lit up the sky in the twinkling of an eye, leaving everyone mesmerized.
Other Ways to Say: In a moment, In a flash
19. With lightning speed
Meaning: Moving extremely fast, like a bolt of lightning.
In a Sentence: The delivery driver navigated the city streets with lightning speed to get the package there on time.
Other Ways to Say: Super fast, Like a streak
20. Quick off the mark
Meaning: Starting or reacting very quickly.
In a Sentence: She was quick off the mark in the race, gaining an early lead over her competitors.
Other Ways to Say: Fast to start, On the ball
21. Like the wind
Meaning: Moving swiftly and freely.
In a Sentence: The horse galloped across the field like the wind, its mane flowing in the breeze.
Other Ways to Say: Swift as a breeze, Fast and free
22. In a jiffy
Meaning: Happening very quickly or in a short time.
In a Sentence: I’ll finish this homework in a jiffy and then join you for the movie night.
Other Ways to Say: In no time, Quick as a flash
23. Full speed ahead
Meaning: Moving forward with maximum effort and speed.
In a Sentence: With the deadline approaching, the team went full speed ahead to complete the project on time.
Other Ways to Say: All out, At top speed
24. Like a house on fire
Meaning: Happening quickly and with great intensity.
In a Sentence: The new dance group got along like a house on fire, mastering the routine in just a few practices.
Other Ways to Say: Super fast, With great energy
25. At a moment’s notice
Meaning: Ready to act or move immediately.
In a Sentence: The emergency team was ready to respond at a moment’s notice, ensuring no time was wasted.
Other Ways to Say: Right away, Instantly ready
26. Burn rubber
Meaning: To drive or move very quickly, often in a car.
In a Sentence: As soon as the light turned green, he burned rubber, speeding off in his sleek new car.
Other Ways to Say: Peel out, Speed away
27. Like a scalded cat
Meaning: Moving very quickly, often in a frantic way.
In a Sentence: When the dog barked, the thief ran off like a scalded cat, disappearing into the night.
Other Ways to Say: In a panic, Super fast
28. Flat out
Meaning: At maximum speed or effort.
In a Sentence: She’s been working flat out to finish her science fair project before the deadline.
Other Ways to Say: Full throttle, All out
29. In double-quick time
Meaning: Extremely fast, often faster than expected.
In a Sentence: The chef prepared the meal in double-quick time, impressing the restaurant’s impatient guests.
Other Ways to Say: Super fast, In a hurry
30. Like there’s no tomorrow
Meaning: Doing something quickly and with urgency, as if time is running out.
In a Sentence: They danced like there’s no tomorrow, enjoying every moment of the lively music.
Other Ways to Say: With reckless abandon, Full speed
31. Quick as lightning
Meaning: Extremely fast, almost instantaneous.
In a Sentence: He dodged the soccer ball quick as lightning, saving the goal for his team.
Other Ways to Say: In a flash, Super swift
32. At full tilt
Meaning: Moving or working at maximum speed.
In a Sentence: The factory was running at full tilt to meet the holiday season’s demand for toys.
Other Ways to Say: Flat out, At top speed
33. Like a whirlwind
Meaning: Moving or acting with rapid, chaotic energy.
In a Sentence: She cleaned the entire house like a whirlwind, leaving it spotless in under an hour.
Other Ways to Say: In a frenzy, Super fast
34. On the double
Meaning: Doing something quickly or immediately.
In a Sentence: The coach yelled for the players to get to the field on the double for practice.
Other Ways to Say: Right now, Hurry up
35. Make tracks
Meaning: To leave or move quickly.
In a Sentence: When the storm clouds rolled in, we decided to make tracks back to the campsite.
Other Ways to Say: Get moving, Hurry along
36. Like a streak
Meaning: Moving extremely fast, often in a straight line.
In a Sentence: The motorcycle roared by like a streak, leaving a trail of dust behind it.
Other Ways to Say: Like a bullet, Super fast
37. In no time
Meaning: Happening very quickly or soon.
In a Sentence: With her new study method, she mastered the material in no time and aced the exam.
Other Ways to Say: In a jiffy, Super quick
38. At lightning speed
Meaning: Extremely fast, almost instantaneous.
In a Sentence: The news of the sale spread at lightning speed, and the store was packed within hours.
Other Ways to Say: In a flash, Super swift
39. Like a bullet
Meaning: Moving with great speed and directness.
In a Sentence: The sprinter shot out of the starting blocks like a bullet, aiming for the finish line.
Other Ways to Say: Like a rocket, Super fast
40. Quick as a bunny
Meaning: Moving or acting very quickly and nimbly.
In a Sentence: The little girl darted through the playground quick as a bunny, giggling all the way.
Other Ways to Say: Fast and nimble, In a hurry
41. Zip along
Meaning: To move quickly and smoothly.
In a Sentence: The new electric scooter let her zip along the bike path, enjoying the breeze.
Other Ways to Say: Speed along, Glide quickly
42. Like wildfire
Meaning: Spreading or moving extremely quickly.
In a Sentence: The rumor about the new game release spread like wildfire through the school.
Other Ways to Say: Rapidly, Like a virus
43. In a snap
Meaning: Happening very quickly or instantly.
In a Sentence: He fixed the broken toy in a snap, making his little brother smile again.
Other Ways to Say: In a jiffy, Right away
44. At a clip
Meaning: Moving at a fast pace.
In a Sentence: The horses galloped across the field at a clip, kicking up dust with every step.
Other Ways to Say: At a fast pace, Swiftly
45. With haste
Meaning: Doing something quickly, often due to urgency.
In a Sentence: She packed her bags with haste when she realized the train was leaving in ten minutes.
Other Ways to Say: In a rush, Hurriedly
Practical Exercise
Fill in the blanks:
- When the race started, she took off _______ a bullet, leaving her competitors far behind.
- The news about the concert tickets spread _______ wildfire, and they sold out in hours.
- I’ll be ready to go in a _______, just let me grab my jacket!
- The delivery truck zoomed through the streets _______ lightning speed to meet the deadline.
- He answered the trivia question _______ a flash, impressing everyone with his knowledge.
- The team worked _______ full tilt to finish the presentation before the client meeting.
- When the bell rang, the kids ran out of school _______ a bat out of hell, excited for the weekend.
- She cleaned her room _______ a whirlwind, making it spotless in record time.
- If you need me, I can be there _______ a moment’s notice to help with the project.
- The new intern hit the _______ running, taking on tasks with enthusiasm from day one.
- He drove off _______ rubber, eager to show off his new car’s speed.
- The rumor about the party spread _______ no time, and soon everyone was talking about it.
Answers:
like, like, jiffy, at, quick as, at, like, like, at, ground, burning, in
Conclusion
Idioms for “fast” bring a burst of energy and color to your language, making everyday conversations more vivid and engaging. Whether you’re describing a lightning-quick action, a speedy response, or a rushed moment, these phrases help you express yourself with flair and precision. By incorporating these idioms into your speech and writing, you can make your communication more dynamic and relatable, whether you’re chatting with friends, presenting in class, or writing a story.
Practice these idioms in real-life scenarios to make them second nature, and soon you’ll be using them like a pro. Keep exploring the world of idioms to enrich your vocabulary and add a spark to your conversations. After all, language is a race, and with these idioms, you’re ready to go full speed ahead!