Word forms: comparative hastier, superlative hastiest
1. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A hasty movement, action, or statement is sudden, and often done in reaction to something that has just happened.
He started screaming insults so I made a hasty escape.
hastily (heɪstɪli)adverb [ADVERB with verb]
'It may be satisfying, but it's not fun.'—'No, I'm sure it's not,' said Virginiahastily. 'I didn't mean that.'
Synonyms: quickly, fast, rapidly, promptly More Synonyms of hasty
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A hasty event or action is one that is completed more quickly than normal.
After the hasty meal, the men had moved forward to take up their positions.
Synonyms: brief, short, quick, passing More Synonyms of hasty
hastilyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
He said good night hastily, promising that he would phone Hans in the morning.
The survivors were recovering in hastily erected tents.
Synonyms: quickly, fast, rapidly, promptly More Synonyms of hasty
3. adjective
If you describe a person or their behaviour as hasty, you mean that they are acting too quickly, without thinking carefully, for example because they are angry.
[disapproval]
So let's not be hasty. After all, he can't run away.
A number of the United States' allies had urged him not to take a hasty decision.
hastilyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
I decided that nothing should be done hastily, that things had to be sorted out carefully.
Synonyms: quickly, fast, rapidly, promptly More Synonyms of hasty
Synonyms: hurriedly, rashly, precipitately, recklessly More Synonyms of hasty
More Synonyms of hasty
hasty in British English
(ˈheɪstɪ)
adjectiveWord forms: -tier or -tiest
1.
rapid; swift; quick
2.
excessively or rashly quick
3.
short-tempered
4.
showing irritation or anger
hasty words
Derived forms
hastily (ˈhastily)
adverb
hastiness (ˈhastiness)
noun
hasty in American English
(ˈheɪsti)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈhastier or ˈhastiest
1.
done or made with haste; quick; hurried
a hasty lunch
2.
done or made too quickly and with too little thought; rash; impetuous
3.
short-tempered
4.
showing irritation or impatience
SIMILAR WORDS: fast
Derived forms
hastily (ˈhastily)
adverb
hastiness (ˈhastiness)
noun
Word origin
ME hasti < OFr hasti, hastif: see haste
Examples of 'hasty' in a sentence
hasty
Officers beat a hasty retreat and the violence quickly spread.
The Sun (2016)
Good news for those who think that the government has been getting a bit hasty about releasing information.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It just goes to show that it often pays long-term investors to wait patiently and avoid being panicked into hasty reactions.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The government machine went into hasty but shrewd action.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The move irked staff and the company was forced into a hasty retreat.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He stared the larger man down until the officer beat a hasty retreat and disappeared.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Nor their determination to beat a hasty retreat downstairs for a cup of tea and a halal meat pie.
The Sun (2010)
But at the end of a week of hasty retreats on payday lenders and cigarette packaging such crazy symmetry sounded horribly plausible.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
All too often, hasty moves cut short what could have been an increasingly rewarding ministry.
Christianity Today (2000)
But when he makes a pass at her, she makes a hasty exit.
The Sun (2007)
All concur that they found the door to the flat open, which suggests a hasty exit.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
He may realise that he's been a bit hasty.
The Sun (2006)
But isn't this a bit hasty?
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
We beat a hasty retreat to the nearby town of Petersfield.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
A hasty military exit risks undermining it.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
I then spotted him in the corner and beat a hasty retreat.
The Sun (2009)
In my hasty departure from home I had missed my ordination.
Davey, Ray Rev. & Cole, John A Channel of Peace (1993)
It turns out that I may have been a bit hasty.
The Sun (2012)
I think they've been a bit hasty.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
I beat a very hasty retreat and the committee pretended that they hadn't seen anything.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Do I enter the loo to push the button for them or beat a hasty retreat?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
On reflection you realise that you might have been a bit hasty and paid too much for something that you don't want or need.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
You'll have to do precisely that - unless you beat a hasty exit from the table.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
I made a hasty exit.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In other languages
hasty
British English: hasty ADJECTIVE
A hasty movement, action, or statement is sudden, and often done in reaction to something that has just happened.
He had overturned a chair in his hasty departure.
American English: hasty
Brazilian Portuguese: apressado
Chinese: 匆忙的
European Spanish: apresurado
French: hâtif
German: eilig
Italian: precipitoso
Japanese: 慌ただしい
Korean: 급한
European Portuguese: apressado
Latin American Spanish: apresurado
Chinese translation of 'hasty'
hasty
(ˈheɪstɪ)
adj
(= hurried)[departure, return]仓(倉)促的 (cāngcù de)
(= rash)[decision, reply]草率的 (cǎoshuài de)
don't be hasty别(別)性急 (bié xìngjí)
1 (adjective)
Definition
done or happening suddenly or quickly
They need to make a hasty escape.
Synonyms
speedy
We wish Bill a speedy recovery.
fast
She walked at a fast pace.
quick
Europe has moved a long way at a quick pace.
prompt
an inflammation of the eyeball which needs prompt treatment
rapid
He walked at a rapid pace along Charles Street.
fleet
He was fleet as a deer.
hurried
They had a hurried breakfast, then left.
urgent
swift
a swift runner
brisk
The horse broke into a brisk trot.
expeditious
the efficient and expeditious way in which he has conducted this business
Opposites
slow
,
leisurely
2 (adjective)
Definition
done or happening suddenly or quickly
After the hasty meal, they took up their positions.
Synonyms
brief
This time their visit is brief.
short
We had a short meeting.
quick
I just popped in for a quick chat.
passing
He only gave us a passing glance.
rushed
a rushed job
fleeting
They caught only a fleeting glimpse of the driver.
superficial
He only gave it a superficial glance through.
cursory
I gave the letter a fairly cursory reading.
perfunctory
She gave the list only a perfunctory glance.
transitory
Most teenage romances are transitory.
Opposites
long
,
protracted
3 (adjective)
Definition
done too quickly and without thought
Let's not be hasty.
Synonyms
rash
Don't do anything rash until the feelings subside.
premature
It now seems their optimism was premature.
reckless
He is charged with causing death by reckless driving.
precipitate
I don't think we should make any precipitate decisions.
impulsive
The press claim that she is too impulsive to be a responsible prime minister.
headlong
a headlong rush for the exit
foolhardy
He had to be restrained from foolhardy action.
thoughtless
It was thoughtless of her to mention it.
impetuous
He tended to act in a heated and impetuous way.
indiscreet
He is notoriously indiscreet about his private life.
imprudent
an imprudent investment he made many years ago
heedless
She scattered the letters about in her heedless haste.
incautious
In case you think I was incautious, take a look at the map.
unduly quick
Opposites
detailed
,
careful
,
cautious
,
thorough
,
thoughtful
4 (adjective)
Synonyms
impatient
Beware of being too impatient with others.
excited
passionate
She has a passionate temper.
fiery
I see you have a fiery temper.
irritable
He had been waiting for an hour and was starting to feel irritable.
snappy
He wasn't irritable or snappy.
brusque
The doctors are brusque and busy.
irascible
He had an irascible temper.
hot-headed
a footballer whose fiery temper makes him too hot-headed to handle
hot-tempered
quick-tempered
They are wonderful people, but very quick-tempered.