rapid

/ˈræpɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈræpɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈra-pəd/ (ame, mw)

rapid — adjective

  • rapidpositive
  • more rapidcomparative
  • most rapidsuperlative

1. happening very quickly or at a fast rate — for example, a rapid rise in prices,

1.形容詞B1
釋義

happening very quickly or at a fast rate — for example, a rapid rise in prices, rapid growth of a city, or a rapid heartbeat after exercise.

例句

Tomás noticed a rapid change in the weather before the storm hit.

collocation: rapid change

The hospital’s rapid response saved the injured cyclist’s life.

collocation: rapid response

同義詞
  • fast

    most common and informal; used for movement of people, vehicles, or objects (fast car, fast runner)

  • quick

    emphasises short duration or promptness, often with actions (quick reply, quick decision)

  • swift

    slightly more formal than fast; suggests smooth, effortless movement (swift current, swift response)

  • speedy

    focuses on efficiency and lack of delay, often with processes (speedy delivery, speedy recovery)

反義詞
  • slow

    the direct opposite in terms of speed or rate

  • gradual

    emphasises happening slowly over time, step by step, rather than all at once

文法句型

rapid + noun (change / growth / increase / response / expansion)

so + rapid + that-clause

用法筆記

Frequently used before nouns describing change, growth, or processes (rapid increase, rapid change, rapid growth). Less common in predicative position than fast or quick, and rarely used to describe human or animal movement (a rapid runner sounds unnatural; prefer fast).

常見錯誤

❌He is a rapid runner.
✅He is a fast runner.
💡'rapid' is rarely used to describe a person’s running speed; 'fast' is the natural choice for human movement.
❌I made a rapid decision to buy the car.
✅I made a quick decision to buy the car.
💡'quick' emphasises short duration or promptness, while 'rapid' is better for ongoing processes.

rapid — noun