2 syllables: fast, est. Stress on fast.
/ˈfæstɪst/
Say it backFastest is the superlative form of fast, meaning the greatest speed among a group. It functions as an adjective or adverb in contexts like describing a race winner or a process completed more quickly than others. The term combines the base adjective fast with the suffix -est to indicate extremity in speed.
"The cheetah is the fastest land animal."
"She arrived fastest among all the runners in the relay."
"This new engine makes the car the fastest on the highway."
Pronounce as /ˈfæstɪst/ in US English and /ˈfɑːstɪst/ in many UK/AU varieties. The primary stress is on the first syllable: FAST-ɪst. Start with a short, lax vowel in the first syllable (æ or ɑː depending on accent), then a crisp /st/ cluster, followed by a reduced /ɪ/ in the second syllable and a clear /st/ at the end. Keep the /t/ released crisply for clarity. Audio reference: you can compare to ‘fast’ + ‘-est’ in pronunciation resources or YouGlish samples for the exact accent.
Common errors include turning the second syllable into a full vowel (e.g., /ˈfæstiːst/), misplacing stress (e.g., stressing the second syllable as in ‘FAST-iss’), and weakly releasing the final /t/ making it sound like /tɪst/ or /st/?-. Correct by keeping the primary stress on the first syllable and giving the final /t/ a clean, alveolar stop release: /ˈfæstɪst/.
In US English, /ˈfæstɪst/ with a short /æ/ and clear /st/ clusters. UK/AU often use a broader open /ɑː/ in the first syllable: /ˈfɑːstɪst/ or /ˈfɑːstɪst/. Non-rhotic accents may reduce post-vocalic r sounds not relevant here. The /t/ may be released more crisply in American speech; in some UK varieties, you may hear a t-glottalization in casual speech, though not in careful speech. Overall, vowel quality and consonant release differentiate the accents.
The difficulty lies in the /st/ cluster at the word boundary and the final /st/ release after a short vowel in the second syllable. Maintaining primary stress on the first syllable while transitioning to the voiceless /st/ requires precise tongue-tip contact and timing. The reduction of the second syllable vowel to /ɪ/ can blur syllable boundaries. Practicing crisp alveolar stops and keeping the second /st/ clear helps overcome these challenges.
A unique consideration is the two /st/ clusters back-to-back: /st/ in the first syllable and another /st/ ending the word. You must not fuse them into a longer /stst/ sequence; instead, maintain two distinct releases with a brief vowel in the middle. Pay attention to the final /t/ release as a crisp stop rather than a soft, glottalized stop in casual speech.
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Fastest derives from the adjective fast, which has Germanic origins in Old English fastian, seizing the sense of firm, fixed, or swift. The superlative suffix -est attaches to short adjectives in Middle English to form the highest degree (fastest = most fast). The word fast itself traces to Proto-Germanic *fastaz, linked to quickness and firmness. Over time, the meaning narrowed to speed in motion rather than stability, yielding 'fast' as an adverb/adjective and 'fastest' as the peak degree. In usage, fastest often collocates with sports, machinery, and time-sensitive actions, signaling superiority in speed. First known uses appear in Middle English writings around the 12th-14th centuries, with the superlative form appearing by the early modern period as English spelling and morphology standardized.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "fastest" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "fastest" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "fastest"
-est sounds
-rd) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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