ultra-fast

ultra-fast — adjective

1. happening or operating at a speed that is much greater than what most people wou

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

happening or operating at a speed that is much greater than what most people would consider normal or usual for that situation

Example

Hoa's new laptop had an ultra-fast processor that could run three design programs at once.

collocation: ultra-fast processor

The bullet train offers ultra-fast travel between Taipei and Kaohsiung in under ninety minutes.

collocation: ultra-fast travel

Common collocations
  • ultra-fast processor
  • ultra-fast internet
  • ultra-fast connection
  • ultra-fast charging
  • ultra-fast shipping
  • ultra-fast speed
  • ultra-fast train
  • ultra-fast service
Synonyms
  • lightning-fast

    more figurative and dramatic; suggests surprising or sudden speed, common in journalism and advertising

  • blindingly fast

    even more intense; implies speed that is hard to perceive or follow

  • super-fast

    more informal and general; common in casual conversation and product descriptions

Antonyms
  • slow

    the direct opposite in terms of speed

  • sluggish

    more idiomatic; suggests a pace that feels frustratingly slow

Grammar Patterns

ultra-fast + noun (attributive)

be + ultra-fast (predicative)

Usage Note

The ultra- prefix can attach to many adjectives in English (ultra-light, ultra-thin, ultra-modern, ultra-smooth). It is most productive in technology, marketing, and informal settings. In formal academic or professional writing, alternatives such as 'extremely fast' or 'remarkably fast' are often preferred.

Common Mistakes

This network is ultra.
This network is ultra-fast.
'ultra-' is a prefix and must attach to a base adjective; it is not a standalone word in standard English.
The ultra-fast food was cold by the time we got home.
The fast food was cold by the time we got home.
'ultra-fast' means extremely quick, which is unrelated to 'fast food' (convenience food). The two phrases are easily confused.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four describe very high speed, but they differ in register and intensity. 'Ultra-fast' is a neutral, productive compound common in technology and product descriptions (ultra-fast internet, ultra-fast charging). 'Lightning-fast' is more figurative and dramatic—it paints a picture of sudden, natural speed and is often used in journalism and advertising. 'Blindingly fast' goes a step further, suggesting speed that is almost too quick to perceive, so it suits hyperbolic or informal contexts. 'Super-fast' is the most casual and generic of the group, frequently heard in everyday conversation ('a super-fast reply') but rarely in formal writing. For a technical or product description, 'ultra-fast' is the safest choice; for a vivid story, 'lightning-fast' works better.

ultra-fast ↗lightning-fastblindingly fastsuper-fast

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • ultra-fast data transfer
  • ultra-fast broadband
  • ultra-fast delivery

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Formed by combining the prefix 'ultra-' (from Latin 'ultra', meaning 'beyond') with the adjective 'fast'. The prefix 'ultra-' became highly productive in twentieth-century English, especially in scientific, technical, and commercial vocabulary, where it adds the sense of 'extreme' or 'exceeding a normal limit'. The compound 'ultra-fast' first appeared in the mid-1900s and grew common with the rise of high-speed technology.