Standard Lemma guide

swiftness

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈswɪftnɪs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S W IH1 F T N AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The state of being swift.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Examples

  • with remarkable swiftness
  • demonstrate swiftness
  • act with swiftness
  • The swiftness of his reaction saved the child.
  • They admired the swiftness of the river’s current.
  • He completed the task with unexpected swiftness.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the project advanced with gratifying speed

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: speed, fastness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pace, rate

Narrower terms: haste, hastiness, hurry, hurriedness, precipitation, execution speed, graduality, gradualness

History

Etymology

From Middle English swiftnesse, swyftnesse, from Old English swiftnes (“swiftness”), equivalent to swift + -ness.