Meaning & use
rapidly
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Meanings
adverbnot comparable
At a high speed, or in a very short time.
Grammar: Goes with verbs like grow, change, spread, or move: the city is growing rapidly.
Patterns
- grow rapidly
- change rapidly
- spread rapidly
The fire spread rapidly through the dry forest.
Technology is changing rapidly.
The river rose rapidly after the storm.
adverbnot comparable
With quick movements or in quick succession, one thing after another.
Grammar: Describes repeated actions: blink rapidly, tap rapidly.
Patterns
- blink rapidly
- speak rapidly
She blinked rapidly to stop herself from crying.
The doctor spoke rapidly, so I missed some of it.
His heart was beating rapidly after the climb.
Word forms
| comparative | more rapidly |
|---|---|
| superlative | most rapidly |
Common combinations
- rapidly growing
- This is the fastest, most rapidly growing town in the state.
- change rapidly
- Fashion trends change rapidly.
- rapidly approaching
- The deadline is rapidly approaching.
- spread rapidly
- The rumor spread rapidly around school.
- rapidly increase
- Prices have rapidly increased.
Synonyms and how they differ
- quickly
- Quickly is the everyday word, whereas rapidly is a bit more formal and often used for change or growth.
- swiftly
- Swiftly suggests smooth, graceful speed, while rapidly just emphasizes the high rate.
- fast
- Fast is informal and works as an adverb without -ly, as in run fast.
- speedily
- Speedily stresses promptness in getting something done, often with a sense of efficiency.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: rapidly or rabidly?
rapidly vs rabidly
Rabidly means in an extreme or fanatical way, and is not about speed.
Practice
The population of the town has been growing ___, doubling in only five years.
Choose one answer.
Rapidly fits a very fast increase such as doubling in five years. Slowly, barely, and gradually suggest the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rapidly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.