What does "fastness" mean?
The quality or state of being fast (in various senses).; The quality or state of being strongly attached; firmness, secureness, tenacity.
Fastness
/ˈfɑːs(t)nəs/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The quality or state of being fast (in various senses).; The quality or state of being strongly attached; firmness, secureness, tenacity.
- Grammar: fastness is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: swiftness, acropolis, air speed, aplomb.
- Useful contrasts: musical tempo, delay, instability.
- Usage evidence: [T]he thing, as it is, having firſt taken vp her ſtand in the memory, and there by the way of knowledge and witting, imprinted it-ſelfe, it were hard it ſhould not repreſent it ſelfe to the imagination, diſplacing and ſupplanting falſehood, which therein can have no ſuch footing, or ſetled faſtneſſe: […]
How to use "fastness"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "fastness" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "fastness" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "fastness" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "fastness" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "fastness" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "swiftness" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "fastness", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The quality or state of being fast (in various senses).; The quality or state of being strongly attached; firmness, secureness, tenacity. countable, uncountable
"[T]he thing, as it is, having firſt taken vp her ſtand in the memory, and there by the way of knowledge and witting, imprinted it-ſelfe, it were hard it ſhould not repreſent it ſelfe to the imagination, diſplacing and ſupplanting falſehood, which therein can have no ſuch footing, or ſetled faſtneſſe: […]"
- 2 a strongly fortified defensive structure wordnet
- 3 The quality or state of being fast (in various senses).; The quality or state of being strongly attached; firmness, secureness, tenacity.; The ability of a dye to withstand fading. countable, specifically, uncountable
- 4 the quality of being fixed in place as by some firm attachment wordnet
- 5 The quality or state of being fast (in various senses).; The quality or state of moving quickly; quickness, rapidity, swiftness. countable, uncountable
"[Frog:] Why are all of us fleein'? What dire peril threatens our sylvan fastness? [Bug:] Just run! Your fastness shouldn't be too slow."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens wordnet
- 7 The quality or state of being fast (in various senses).; The quality or state of having an extravagant lifestyle or immoral habits. countable, uncountable
- 8 The quality or state of being fast (in various senses).; Of a fortress or other place: the quality or state of being secure from access or attack; safety, security. archaic, countable, uncountable
"But now his cruelty ſo ſore ſhe drad, / That to thoſe fennes for faſtneſſe ſhe did fly, / And there her ſelfe did hyde from his hard tyranny."
- 9 The quality or state of being fast (in various senses).; The quality or state of being firm, hard, or solid; firmness, hardness, solidity. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"Which was brought to paſſe I beleue, […] by a good way of Epitome, in binding him ſelfe to tranſlate meros Atticos Oratores, and ſo to bring his ſtyle, from all lowſe groſneſſe, to ſoch firme faſtnes in latin, as is in Demoſthenes in Greeke."
- 10 Something that is fast, or that causes someone or something to be fast (in various senses).; A fortified or secure place; a fortress, a stronghold. also, countable, figuratively, uncountable
"[I]f the VVelſh compelled by famine ventred out of their ſtrengthes or faſtneſſes, in or about Snovvdon, the Garriſon Souldiers of Gannocke vvere ready to intercept and kill them; […]"
- 11 Something that is fast, or that causes someone or something to be fast (in various senses).; Something used to fasten or tie; a fastener or fastening. countable, regional, uncountable
Antonyms
Example
"[T]he thing, as it is, having firſt taken vp her ſtand in the memory, and there by the way of knowledge and witting, imprinted it-ſelfe, it were hard it ſhould not repreſent it ſelfe to the imagination, diſplacing and ſupplanting falſehood, which therein can have no ſuch footing, or ſetled faſtneſſe: […]"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "fastness"?
Common synonyms include: swiftness, acropolis, air speed, aplomb, balance, bastion.
How do you use "fastness" in a sentence?
[T]he thing, as it is, having firſt taken vp her ſtand in the memory, and there by the way of knowledge and witting, imprinted it-ſelfe, it were hard it ſhould not repreſent it ſelfe to the imagination, diſplacing and ſupplanting falſehood, which therein can have no ſuch footing, or ſetled faſtneſſe: […]
How do you pronounce "fastness"?
Pronounced /ˈfɑːs(t)nəs/.
Etymology
From Middle English fastnes, fastnesse (“immovableness, stability; firmness, solidness; secure attachment; constancy; obstinacy; something giving firmness or strength; of sleep: soundness; of a wound: healing; assurance, confirmation”) [and other forms], from Old English fæstnes (“fastness, firmness, stability; resolution; tenacity; vigour; firmament; fortification”) [and other forms], from fæst (“firm, stable; constant”) (from Proto-Germanic *fastuz (“firm, fixed; secure”); see further at that entry) + -nes (suffix forming abstract nouns denoting a quality or state). The English word may be analysed as fast + -ness.