but rapidly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "but rapidly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a quick change or development in a situation or action. Example: "The weather was calm at first, but rapidly turned stormy as the evening approached."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Mistakes are not only revealed, but rapidly amplified.

The Guardian

Burress's stock has quietly, but rapidly, fallen in recent days.

The New York Times - Sports

The survey started simply enough, but rapidly became unnecessarily confusing.

The Guardian - Opinion

The damage was not immediately irretrievable, but rapidly became so.

Independent

Archery is a small but rapidly growing sport in New York City.

The New York Times

An enterprise known as reproductive outsourcing is a new but rapidly expanding business in India.

The New York Times

"They seemed amazing on first listen but rapidly wore on the ears".

The Guardian - Books

Since then it has spread quietly but rapidly, establishing a presence throughout Ireland," he said.

The Guardian

Protestants represent a small but rapidly growing fraction of the population.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But rapidly rising profits disguised huge cost increases that must now be tamed.

The Economist

But rapidly rising earnings masked huge cost increases, particularly in fuel and wages.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "but rapidly" to clearly indicate a swift transition or change in a situation, especially when contrasting it with a previous state. For example, 'The company was losing money, but rapidly innovated to regain profitability.'

Common error

Avoid using "but rapidly" excessively in descriptive writing where a more nuanced or specific adverb might be more effective. Overuse can make writing sound repetitive or less precise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "but rapidly" functions as a conjunctive adverbial phrase, indicating a contrast followed by a quick transition. It connects two clauses, highlighting a change in pace or state. Ludwig provides examples of its usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

45%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "but rapidly" is a versatile phrase used to indicate a quick transition following a contrast. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct and appears frequently in diverse sources such as News & Media and Scientific publications. When writing, it's important to use "but rapidly" to clearly indicate a swift change in a situation. While effective, avoid overuse, which might detract from the precision of your writing. For alternatives, consider options like "however quickly" or "yet swiftly" to enrich your vocabulary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

however quickly

Replaces "rapidly" with "quickly" and "but" with "however", altering the sentence structure slightly.

yet swiftly

Substitutes "but" with "yet" and "rapidly" with "swiftly", providing a more literary feel.

though promptly

Uses "though" instead of "but" and "promptly" in place of "rapidly", offering a slightly more formal tone.

in contrast, swiftly

Replaces "but" with "in contrast" and "rapidly" with "swiftly", changing the phrase into an adverbial phrase.

conversely, quickly

Employs "conversely" instead of "but" and "quickly" instead of "rapidly", resulting in a more contrasting expression.

on the contrary, fast

Utilizes "on the contrary" instead of "but" and "fast" instead of "rapidly", creating a more emphatic contrast.

instead, at speed

Replaces "but" with "instead" and "rapidly" with "at speed", significantly altering the sentence structure.

even so, expeditiously

Substitutes "but" with "even so" and "rapidly" with "expeditiously", introducing a more formal and complex vocabulary.

notwithstanding, with haste

Replaces "but" with "notwithstanding" and "rapidly" with "with haste", offering a more literary and emphatic effect.

nevertheless, apace

Employs "nevertheless" instead of "but" and "apace" instead of "rapidly", creating a formal and somewhat archaic expression.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "but rapidly" in a sentence?

Use "but rapidly" to show a quick change after a previous state. For example: "The project started slowly, but rapidly gained momentum."

What are some alternatives to "but rapidly"?

You can use alternatives like "however quickly", "yet swiftly", or "though promptly" to vary your writing.

Is "but rapidly" suitable for formal writing?

Yes, "but rapidly" is suitable for formal writing, though you might consider more sophisticated alternatives like "nevertheless apace" depending on the context.

What is the difference between "but quickly" and "but rapidly"?

"But quickly" and "but rapidly" are largely interchangeable, but "but rapidly" can sometimes imply a more significant or impactful change in pace.