rapidly
adv.very fast or in a short amount of time. You use this to describe how something changes or moves quickly.
adv.at a great speed; very quickly. Often used to describe the rate of change, growth, or movement in a formal or objective context.
“The city is growing rapidly.”
“Technology is changing so rapidly that it is hard for many people to keep up with new devices.”
“The company's stock price rose rapidly following the announcement of a breakthrough in renewable energy storage, catching many market analysts by surprise.”
Typically placed after the verb it modifies or at the end of the clause.
Learners often use the adverb 'rapidly' to modify a noun instead of the adjective 'rapid'.
Usage rapidly changing · rapidly developing · rapidly expanding
“The canopy rapidly thinned as trees died , and it remained much thinner for over 100,000 years.”
“The continued growth in demand for higher education shows that students recognise the value of developing the knowledge, skills and experience they need to succeed in the rapidly changing world of work.”
Common in science writing
From rapid + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.