quickly
Americanadverb
Commonly Confused
See quick.
Etymology
Origin of quickly
Explanation
When you do something quickly, you do it really fast — like when you quickly eat breakfast so you won’t be late to school. The adverb quickly can describe any action that’s done at great speed. If you see a wolf running quickly, that means it’s moving rapidly and you’d better hide quickly. Quickly can also carry the sense of doing something without delay or hesitation. Sometimes quickly has a connotation of not putting much thought or effort into something, like when you quickly do your math homework.
Vocabulary lists containing quickly
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
What was once a market leadership group quickly turned into one of the weakest areas, marked by persistent selling pressure, broken charts, and a clear loss of investor confidence.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
Changes unfold quickly, and the melodies are dynamic in a way that recalls musical theater—overlapping sections suggest a narrative progression even when the words are difficult to follow.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
Even down to the wire, many people can still quickly gather the needed paperwork, Steber said.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026
In the past, the motor fuels sector has been accused of putting up prices quickly when the cost of oil rises, but only reducing them slowly when it falls back.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
We dressed quickly, gathered our things, and made our way downstairs.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
