What does hurry mean?
Hurry means to move, act, or get something done with speed, usually because a deadline or other time constraint is pressing. As a verb, it can describe a person moving quickly, as in hurry to the exit, or mean that someone wants an event or process to occur sooner, as in a request to hurry a shipment. As a noun, hurry denotes the need or desire for prompt action, as in being in a hurry, and can also refer to a period of hurried activity. The word often conveys urgency rather than calm efficiency, so a hurried decision may be made too quickly and a hurried person may appear anxious or impatient. In a hurry is especially common in practical situations involving appointments, travel, queues, or deadlines, while hurry up is a direct and familiar command. Though relatively simple, the word remains useful because it captures both the external pressure to move quickly and the internal state of feeling that time is short.
To move or do something with great speed, especially because time is limited; to hasten.
"They hurried the repairs in an attempt to reopen the centre."
Hurry can also mean to cause something to happen sooner: She hurried the process along.
The need or desire to act quickly; a state of urgency.
"He finished his lunch in a hurry because the train was due."
The expression in a hurry is especially common in everyday speech.
The plural is used for separate acts or periods of hurried activity and for instances of moving quickly.
"The afternoon was filled with hurried meetings and last-minute changes."
Hurry is both an instruction and a diagnosis: hurry up means move faster, while in a hurry describes why speed matters.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hurry come from?
The word is first attested in English in the early 17th century. Its precise origin is uncertain, although early uses commonly emphasized rapid movement and making haste. The modern verb developed from earlier forms associated with moving quickly, while the noun came to denote a state of urgency.
Related word forms
How hurry is actually used
The expression hurry up is common in everyday speech and may sound impatient or commanding. In formal contexts, requests to act sooner are often phrased politely, such as asking someone to make haste or requesting an earlier appointment.
Easily confused with hurry
Hurry means to move or act with speed, whereas worry means to feel anxious or uneasy about something.