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Meaning & use

rapid change

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈræpɪd tʃeɪndʒ/
US/ˈræpɪd tʃeɪndʒ/

Meanings

  1. noununcountable

    Change that happens very quickly, especially when it affects many things or people.

    Grammar: Usually uncountable when talking about change in general: rapid change is happening. It can be countable before a description: a rapid change in policy.

    Patterns

    • rapid change in something
    • rapid change of something
    • undergo rapid change
    • rapid change is happening

    The city has seen rapid change since the new airport opened.

    Rapid change in technology makes it hard for schools to keep up.

    The report describes rapid change in the region's economy.

  2. nouncountable

    A single instance of something changing quickly from one state to another.

    Grammar: Countable when you mean one specific change: a rapid change in temperature.

    Patterns

    • a rapid change in something
    • cause a rapid change
    • experience a rapid change

    There was a rapid change in the weather just before the match.

    A rapid change in the patient's condition worried the nurses.

    The company made a rapid change to its delivery system.

Common combinations

rapid change in
We noticed a rapid change in his attitude after the meeting.
undergo rapid change
Many industries have undergone rapid change in the last decade.
a period of rapid change
The 1990s were a period of rapid change for the country.
rapid social change
Rapid social change can create tension between generations.
keep pace with rapid change
Small businesses struggle to keep pace with rapid change.

Synonyms and how they differ

swift change
Swift change is more literary and often describes a single movement or decision rather than a broad process.
sudden change
Sudden change emphasizes that something happened without warning, while rapid change emphasizes speed over time.
fast-paced change
Fast-paced change is informal and often describes modern business or media environments.

Opposites

gradual changestability

Word family

rapidly adverb
In a rapid way; quickly.
rapidity noun
The quality of being rapid.
change noun
The general word for becoming different.

Commonly confused: rapid change or quick change?

rapid change vs quick change

Quick change is more informal and often means a fast swap of clothes or plans; rapid change suggests a larger process happening fast.

Practice

The region has experienced ___ change since the border opened.

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