Hurried means done quickly, often too quickly, because of limited time or pressure. When you write a hurried note to a friend before class starts, you're rushing through it instead of taking your time. When someone eats a hurried breakfast, they're gulping down food fast to get out the door.

The word usually suggests that speed came at a cost. A hurried drawing might have sloppy lines. Hurried homework might contain careless mistakes you'd have caught if you'd slowed down. When you read a hurried email from your teacher, you can tell they wrote it quickly between other tasks.

You can also use hurried to describe how someone moves or acts. A person walking with hurried steps is moving faster than usual, maybe because they're late or worried. Hurried movements look rushed and a bit frantic, unlike the calm, deliberate actions of someone with plenty of time.

Working quickly isn't always bad, but hurried often carries a hint that slowing down might have led to better results.