rapid
[adjective]
Synonyms: quick, brisk, express, fast, hasty, hurried, prompt, speedy, swift

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Antonyms: deliberate, leisurely
Related Words: agile, brisk, nimble, hurried, quickened

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English Thesaurus: fast, quick, high-speed, rapid, swift, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

rap‧id W3 /ˈræpəd, ˈræpɪd/ adjective
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: rapidus 'seizing, sweeping away', from rapere; ⇒ rape¹]
happening or done very quickly and in a very short time ⇒ fast, quick:
The patient made a rapid recovery.
rapid growth/expansion/development/increase
rapid population growth
a period of rapid decline
He fired three times in rapid succession (=one after another).
—rapidity /rəˈpɪdəti, rəˈpɪdɪti/ noun [uncountable]:
Their debts mounted with alarming rapidity.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

rapid
adj
VERBS be, seem | become
ADV. exceptionally, extraordinarily, extremely, unusually, very | fairly, quite, relatively

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

rapid

rapid growth/expansion/development
The industry is experiencing rapid growth.
a rapid increase/rise
The country cannot cope with a rapid increase in population.
rapid change
The labour market has undergone a period of rapid change over the last few years.
the rapid spread of something
Close contact between people resulted in the rapid spread of the disease.
a rapid decline/deterioration
These parasites cause a rapid decline in the health of the fish.
rapid progress
Both Tom and Victoria had made rapid progress under his guidance.
a rapid response
He praised state health authorities for their rapid response to the crisis.
at a rapid rate/pace
Deforestation is occurring at a rapid rate as a result of agricultural development.
in rapid succession (=quickly, one after the other)
Pictures of a man were flashed upon the screen in rapid succession.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

rapid
adjective
BAD: These new trains are very rapid.
GOOD: These new trains are very fast.
BAD: I rapidly took the gun out of my pocket.
GOOD: I quickly took the gun out of my pocket.

Usage Note:
When used in connection with movement, rapid and rapidly usually refer to something that happens at a very fast rate: 'She could hear rapid footsteps approaching.' 'The patient often develops a fever and breathing becomes rapid.'
Note that these words are mainly used to describe the speed with which something changes, develops, spreads etc: 'Investors have profited from the country's rapid economic growth.' 'Unemployment has been increasing rapidly over the past 8 years.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

fast moving or able to move quickly:
The cheetah is the fastest animal in the world.
a fast car
quick moving fast or doing something in a short time:
He was much quicker than I was over the first 100 metres.
Do I have time for a quick shower?
high-speed [only before noun] designed to travel or operate very quickly:
a high-speed train
high-speed Internet access
rapid especially written happening in a short period of time – used about changes, increases, improvements etc:
a rapid increase in the population
the rapid expansion of the firm’s business in the Middle East
a rapid decline in profits
swift written moving quickly or happening after only a short time:
The horses ran along the track at a swift trot.
He received a swift response to his letter.
brisk quick and energetic:
a brisk walk in the countryside
His manner was very brisk.
speedy [only before noun] happening after only a short time:
Everyone wishes you a speedy recovery.
a speedy resolution to the problem
hurried done more quickly that usual, because you do not have much time:
She ate a hurried breakfast in the cafe before catching her train.
We made a hurried departure.
hasty deciding or doing something very quickly, especially when this has bad results:
It was a hasty decision, which he later regretted.
Let’s not be too hasty.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

increase to become larger in number, amount, or degree:
Sales increased by 25%.
The level of violence has increased.
go up to increase. Go up is less formal than increase, and is the usual verb to use in everyday English:
The price of coffee has gone up.
rise to increase. Rise sounds a little formal and is often used when talking about the level of something increasing:
The demand for oil has been rising steadily.
Living standards have risen dramatically.
grow to increase, especially gradually over a period of time – used about numbers or amounts:
Since 1990, US imports of foreign goods have grown at a rate of 7.7% per year.
The number of people working from home has grown substantially.
escalate to increase to a high level – used about things that you do not want to increase such as costs, crimes, or violence:
Fuel prices are escalating.
The fighting has escalated.
double/triple to become twice as much or three times as much:
Since 1950, the number of people dying from cancer has almost doubled.
The company’s profits tripled last quarter.
expand to become larger in size, or to include a wider range of activities:
The business has expanded at a rate of 15% per year.
We are hoping to expand into mobile phone services.
soar to increase and reach a very high level – used about numbers and amounts, or about feelings:
The temperature soared to 36.6 degrees centigrade.
His confidence soared.
The singer’s popularity has soared.
shoot up to increase very quickly and suddenly – used about prices, numbers, or temperatures:
Share prices shot up 30% over the last week.
put something up to increase prices, taxes etc. Put up something is less formal than increase, and is the usual verb to use in everyday English:
The landlord has put the rent up again.
They’re always putting up gas prices.
raise to increase something such as prices or taxes, or levels or standards:
The bank has raised interest rates for the third time this year.
The school aims to raise students’ levels of achievement.
boost to increase sales, profits, production etc, especially when they have been lower than you want them to be:
Growing affluence has boosted sales.
Oil exports boosted the economy.
extend to increase something such as your power or influence, or the number of things you are involved in:
We are hoping to extend the range of services that we offer.
The company plans to extend its dominance of the world car market.
step up something to increase your efforts or activities, especially to change a situation:
Security has been stepped up following the bombing.
Local people have stepped up their campaign to prevent a prison being built in their neighbourhood.
heighten to increase a feeling or effect:
The attack has heightened concerns about racism in schools.
Hunger can heighten the effect that alcohol has on you.
maximize to increase something as much as possible:
Businesses try to maximize efficiency and cut costs.
To maximize the chances of a successful pregnancy, you should make sure that you eat well.
big/large
The company has announced a big increase in its profits for last year.
slight/small
Doctors have reported a slight increase in the number of deaths caused by the disease.
The temperature increase was quite small.
great (=big)
There has been a great increase in air traffic in the last twenty years.
huge/massive (=very big)
There was a huge increase in emigration after the war.
substantial/considerable formal (=quite big)
He negotiated a substantial increase in pay for the workers.
significant/marked (=definite and noticeable)
Over the last few years, there has been a marked increase in tourism to developing countries.
dramatic/sharp (=large and sudden)
What has led to this dramatic increase in prices?
rapid (=happening quickly)
Recently there has been a rapid increase in fish farming.
modest (=small)
The figures reveal a modest increase in the birth rate.
gradual (=happening slowly)
Her temperature chart showed a gradual increase over the preceding six hours.
steady (=happening slowly but continuously)
The university has benefited from a steady increase in student numbers.
a threefold/fourfold/fivefold etc increase (=an increase by three, four etc times)
The figures show a threefold increase in incidents of car theft.
a 10%/50% etc increase
A 5% increase in petrol prices is predicted.
an annual increase
The company reported a 10% increase in pre-tax profits.
lead to an increase
They argue that the abolition of the death penalty has led to an increase in the number of murders.
cause/bring about an increase
The heatwave brought about a massive increase in water consumption.
a price increase
We expect a price increase of 1.4% this year.
a fare increase
The airline instituted a 10% fare increase.
a wage/pay/salary increase
Canadian workers received a 5.4% wage increase.
a tax increase
The government had no choice but to impose a tax increase.
be on the increase (=be increasing)
Knife attacks are on the increase.
the rate of increase
The rate of increase in the number of violent crimes is much higher than under the previous government.
growth noun [singular, uncountable] an increase in the number, size, or importance of something. Growth is also used when saying that a company or a country’s economy becomes more successful:
The astonishing growth of the Internet has had a dramatic effect on people’s lives.
Japan experienced a period of rapid economic growth.
Many people are concerned about the enormous growth in the world’s population.
surge noun [countable usually singular] a sudden increase in something such as profits, demand, or interest:
There has been a big surge in demand for organically grown food.
We have seen a tremendous surge of interest in Chinese medicine.
gain noun [uncountable and countable] an increase in the amount or level of something - used especially in business or political contexts, or when talking about an increase in someone’s weight:
sales gains
The December job figures show a net gain of 81,000 jobs.
The party has experienced a gain in popularity.
The amount of weight gain during pregnancy varies.
hike noun [countable] informal especially American English a large or sudden increase in prices or taxes - often used in newspaper reports:
Despite a 25% hike in fuel costs, the airline made a profit last year.
tax hikes
wage hikes
explosion noun [countable] a sudden very large increase in the amount or number of something:
There has been an explosion in the number of fast food restaurants.
The country experienced a population explosion.
The book caused an explosion of interest in Renaissance Italy.
boom noun [singular] a sudden large increase in trade, profits or sales, with the result that a country, company, or industry becomes very successful. Boom is also used about a sudden increase in interest in something, with the result that it becomes very popular:
the German economic boom of the 1960s
the Internet boom
There has been a boom in sales of diet books and videos.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

quick taking only a short time to do something:
I took a quick look at the map.
Do I have time for a quick shower before we go out?
short lasting only a short time:
You can do a short course in diving.
The meeting was shorter than I’d expected.
brief especially written lasting only a short time. Brief is more formal than short, and is used especially in written English:
The President made a brief visit to Buenos Aires.
a brief introduction to Piaget’s ideas
a brief pause in the rain
rapid especially written happening in a short period of time – used about changes, increases, improvements etc:
a rapid increase in crime
the rapid rate of industrial development
speedy happening or done as quickly as possible, especially so that you get the result that you want:
Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
The restoration work has been making speedy progress.
prompt done very soon after something else:
Thank you for your prompt reply.
the prompt action of the firefighters
Discounts will be offered for prompt payment.
hasty deciding or doing something very quickly, especially when this has bad results:
It was a hasty decision, which he later regretted.
They had to make a hasty departure.
cursory formal looking at something very quickly without much attention to detail:
Even a cursory glance at these figures shows that there is a problem.
The police conducted a cursory search of the property.
quickly at a high speed or without taking much time:
The stream was flowing quite quickly.
They quickly became friends.
fast at a high speed – used especially when talking about how something moves:
You're driving too fast!
He ran home as fast as he could.
swiftly written quickly:
The government acted swiftly.
She was surprised that he agreed so swiftly.
rapidly quickly – used especially about changes, increases, improvements etc:
The population is growing rapidly.
a rapidly changing world
speedily quickly and therefore efficiently:
All problems were speedily dealt with.
briskly quickly and energetically:
He walked briskly back along the path.
at high/great speed at a very fast speed – used especially in technical descriptions:
The molecules are travelling at great speed.
at a rapid rate especially written quickly – used about changes, increases, improvements etc:
Internet shopping is growing at a rapid rate.
as quick as a flash/in a flash extremely quickly:
As quick as a flash, I was back in my bed and under the covers.
like lightning moving extremely quickly:
Like lightning, the cat darted under the bushes.
flat out especially British English at the fastest speed possible:
The car was going flat out.
He was running flat out.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

quickly at a high speed or without taking much time:
The stream was flowing quite quickly.
They quickly became friends.
fast at a high speed – used especially when talking about how something moves:
You're driving too fast!
He ran home as fast as he could.
quick spoken quickly – used in exclamations or in comparatives:
Quick! There’s a mouse!
swiftly written quickly:
The government acted swiftly.
She was surprised that he agreed so swiftly.
rapidly quickly – used especially about changes, increases, improvements etc:
The population is growing rapidly.
a rapidly changing world
speedily quickly and therefore efficiently:
All problems were speedily dealt with.
briskly quickly and energetically:
He walked briskly back along the path.
at high/great speed at a very fast speed – used especially in technical descriptions:
The molecules are travelling at great speed.
at a rapid rate especially written quickly – used about changes, increases, improvements etc:
Internet shopping is growing at a rapid rate.
as quick as a flash/in a flash extremely quickly:
As quick as a flash, I was back in my bed and under the covers.
like lightning moving extremely quickly:
Like lightning, the cat darted under the bushes.
flat out especially British English at the fastest speed possible:
The car was going flat out.
He was running flat out.
high-speed [only before noun] designed to travel or operate very quickly:
a high-speed train
high-speed Internet access
rapid especially written happening in a short period of time – used about changes, increases, improvements etc:
a rapid increase in the population
the rapid expansion of the firm’s business in the Middle East
a rapid decline in profits
swift written moving quickly or happening after only a short time:
The horses ran along the track at a swift trot.
He received a swift response to his letter.
brisk quick and energetic:
a brisk walk in the countryside
His manner was very brisk.
speedy [only before noun] happening after only a short time:
Everyone wishes you a speedy recovery.
a speedy resolution to the problem
hurried done more quickly that usual, because you do not have much time:
She ate a hurried breakfast in the cafe before catching her train.
We made a hurried departure.
hasty deciding or doing something very quickly, especially when this has bad results:
It was a hasty decision, which he later regretted.
Let’s not be too hasty.
be on a diet to be eating less or different food than normal in order to become thinner:
No cake thanks – I’m on a diet.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲