Meanings
- USidiomaticpluralplural onlyset phraseA period of time characterized by quickly-paced activity, especially involving extravagant or risky conduct, sexual behavior, or other exciting events.
The book was said to contain salacious details about the fast times of Danielle Staub, one of the principals on “Real Housewives.”
2009 July 15, Virginia Heffernan, “Bibliovision”, in The New York Times, →ISSN2 more examples
McCourtney, however, recognizes the need for more urgency in these euphoric days of dot.com stock offerings. Underscoring the fast times, Venrock just lost one of its three Silicon Valley partners.
2000 April 3, Robert Lenzner, “Personality Change”, in Forbes, retrieved 07 Apr 2015Prosecutors say Mandell treated his brokers to fast times in London, spending $1.3 million at the nicest hotels in Europe and bringing plenty of petty cash for strip clubs and prostitutes.
2012 May 3, “'Bad boy' ex-investment manager sentenced in NYC”, in Businessweek, retrieved 07 Apr 2015
Origin
Popularized by its usage in the title of the novel Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1981) and the film (1982) of the same name.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
fast times. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fast%20times
“fast times.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fast%20times. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fast times,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fast%20times.
Source: fast times on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.