# quick on the uptake

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/quick-on-the-uptake
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Able to readily understand things; aware and intelligent.

## Examples

- She's quick on the uptake, so she learned fast.
- The new intern is quick on the uptake and understood the software after just one demonstration.
- Though he had never studied law, the witness proved quick on the uptake, grasping the barrister's subtle questions and answering with unexpected precision.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.