Hurried vs. hasty: what’s the difference?

Reviewed and edited by Lloyd Cooper, English.me team · 1 March 2025

The short answer

Hurried implies doing something quickly, possibly due to necessity, without an inherent judgment about the quality of the action. Hasty suggests quickness but often carries a negative connotation, implying carelessness or a lack of thought resulting from the speed.

What they have in common

Both hurried and hasty describe actions performed quickly or with great speed, often due to time constraints or urgency.

Examples

hurried

She grabbed a hurried breakfast before heading to work.
They made a hurried attempt to finish the project on time.
In his hurried state, he forgot to lock the door.

hasty

Let’s avoid making a hasty decision we might regret.
His hasty driving led to an accident.
She sent a hasty reply without reading the entire message.

Which one is more common?

Internet search results for “hurried” and “hasty”

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