Quickly means doing something with speed, in a short amount of time. When you eat breakfast quickly, you finish it fast instead of taking your time. When a cheetah runs quickly across the grassland, it covers ground at high speed.

The word describes how fast an action happens. A student who solves math problems quickly finishes them in less time than others. A chef who chops vegetables quickly has practiced until their knife moves swiftly and efficiently. Your heart beats quickly when you're excited or scared, pumping faster than its normal pace.

Quickly can also mean acting without delay or hesitation. When a teacher asks a question and you raise your hand quickly, you respond right away. When firefighters arrive quickly at an emergency, they waste no time getting there.

The opposite of quickly is slowly. Some tasks benefit from being done quickly, like running to catch a bus. Others need careful, slow attention, like building a model ship or solving a tricky puzzle. Knowing when to work quickly and when to slow down is part of learning any skill well.