Other Ways to Say Hurry Up: 30+ Examples In 2026

Quick Answer 🔥
Top Alternatives:
Move faster, Get a move on, Step on it, Let’s pick up the pace, Make it snappy

“Hurry up” is a common English phrase used to encourage someone to act faster. It expresses urgency or impatience in both spoken and written contexts.

People often use it in casual conversations, workplace settings, or when coordinating tasks with friends, colleagues, or family.

Learning alternatives to “hurry up” helps English learners express excitement in English, vary their tone, and sound more natural across situations.

Quick Categories of Alternatives

Formal Alternatives to “Hurry Up”

Please proceed promptly
Kindly expedite
Would you mind accelerating the process?
Your immediate attention is appreciated

Pro Tip: Use these in emails, business meetings, or professional requests to maintain politeness.

Casual Alternatives

Get a move on
Step on it
Move faster
Let’s pick up the pace

Pro Tip: Perfect for friends, family, or informal team settings where urgency is needed.

Professional Alternatives

Expedite this task
Prioritize this immediately
Accelerate the process
Immediate action required

Pro Tip: Combine with “please” or “kindly” to sound assertive yet polite.

Informal Expressions

Chop-chop
Make it snappy
Shake a leg
Come on, hurry

Pro Tip: Avoid these in emails or formal presentations; best for spoken casual situations.

Common Mistakes When Using “Hurry Up”

Being too abrupt
- Incorrect: Hurry up now!
- Correct: Could you please move a bit faster?
Using with authority figures
- Incorrect: Hurry up, boss!
- Correct: Could we speed this up a little?
Mixing formal with slang
- Incorrect: Kindly shake a leg
- Correct: Kindly expedite
Overusing it in writing
- Incorrect: Hurry up. Hurry up. Hurry up.
- Correct: Immediate action required
Ignoring context
- Incorrect: Chop-chop in a formal meeting
- Correct: Accelerate the process

“The right tone makes your English sound professional and confident.”

What Does “Hurry Up” Mean?

Definition: To act or move faster; to do something quickly due to urgency.

Grammar Note: Typically an imperative verb phrase. Can be softened with “please” or other polite modifiers.

Example: Hurry up, or we’ll miss the train!

When to Use “Hurry Up”

Urgent tasks in the workplace
Time-sensitive errands or appointments
Casual prompts among friends or family
When coordination requires speed

Spoken vs Written: Common in speech, less formal in writing
Formal vs Informal: Mostly informal; formal alternatives recommended for professional contexts

“Using alternatives keeps your language fresh and natural.”

Is It Professional or Polite to Say “Hurry Up”?

Polite? ✔️ With modifiers like “please”
Professional? ❌ Generally too casual for most business settings

Example: Please hurry up with the report so we can meet the deadline.

Pros and Cons of Using “Hurry Up”

Pros:

Simple and natural
Friendly tone
Commonly understood
Easy to remember

Cons:

Too informal for work
Overused
Limited emotional range
Not suitable for formal writing

“Politeness and context always matter when urging action.”

Other Ways to Say “Hurry Up” (30 Alternatives)

These alternatives help you sound fluent, confident, and professional in different contexts. Use them according to tone, context, and audience.

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example Sentence	Best Use	Worst Use	Tone	Context
1	Move faster	Act more quickly	Move faster or we’ll miss the bus.	Casual	Formal	Direct, urgent	Casual, spoken
2	Get a move on	Start moving quickly	Get a move on, we’re late!	Casual	Formal	Friendly, urging	Casual, spoken
3	Step on it	Accelerate movement	Step on it, the plane is boarding!	Casual	Formal	Energetic, commanding	Spoken, informal
4	Let’s pick up the pace	Increase speed	Let’s pick up the pace to finish on time.	Casual, professional	None	Encouraging, neutral	Work, group tasks
5	Make it snappy	Do quickly	Make it snappy or we’ll be late.	Informal	Formal	Playful, urgent	Informal, spoken
6	Chop-chop	Act quickly	Chop-chop, everyone!	Informal	Formal	Fun, commanding	Spoken, casual
7	Shake a leg	Move faster	Shake a leg, or we’ll miss the show.	Informal	Formal	Humorous, urgent	Spoken, casual
8	Hurry along	Move quickly	Hurry along, the store is closing.	Casual	Very formal	Neutral, polite	Spoken, casual
9	Rush	Act quickly	We need to rush to complete the project.	Professional	Very casual	Neutral, assertive	Workplace
10	Expedite	Speed up a process	Please expedite the submission of documents.	Professional	Casual	Formal, polite	Email, work
11	Accelerate	Increase speed	Accelerate your work on this task.	Professional	Casual	Neutral, formal	Workplace
12	Prioritize	Focus on urgent tasks	Prioritize this report for today.	Professional	Informal	Formal, assertive	Workplace
13	Immediate action required	Do it without delay	Immediate action required on client request.	Professional	Informal	Serious, urgent	Business
14	Quick, quick	Move quickly	Quick, quick, we’re almost late!	Informal	Formal	Casual, friendly	Spoken, casual
15	Step it up	Increase effort	Step it up if we want to finish today.	Casual, professional	Very formal	Motivational	Work, sports
16	Speed up	Move faster	Speed up your typing; deadline is near.	Casual, professional	Informal	Neutral, assertive	Workplace
17	Pick up speed	Work faster	Pick up speed, the meeting starts in 5 min.	Casual	Very formal	Encouraging, neutral	Spoken, work
18	On the double	Immediately	Soldiers, on the double!	Informal	Formal	Commanding, urgent	Spoken, casual
19	Hasten	Act swiftly	We must hasten the process to meet the deadline.	Professional	Informal	Formal, polite	Work, formal writing
20	Fast-track	Prioritize and speed up	Let’s fast-track this project.	Professional	Informal	Assertive, strategic	Workplace
21	Promptly	Without delay	Please respond promptly to this request.	Professional	Informal	Formal, polite	Email, workplace
22	Speed things up	Make faster	Let’s speed things up to finish early.	Casual, professional	Informal	Neutral, motivating	Work, projects
23	Make haste	Move quickly	Make haste; the train leaves soon.	Formal	Casual	Literary, polite	Writing, formal
24	Push forward	Keep moving quickly	Push forward and finish the task.	Professional	Informal	Motivational, formal	Workplace, projects
25	Don’t dawdle	Stop delaying	Don’t dawdle, or we’ll miss the bus.	Casual	Formal	Warning, friendly	Spoken, casual
26	Get cracking	Start quickly	Get cracking on the homework.	Informal	Formal	Energetic, casual	Spoken, casual
27	Move it	Hurry	Move it, we’re late!	Informal	Formal	Direct, urgent	Spoken, casual
28	Step on the gas	Increase effort	Step on the gas to meet our deadline.	Casual	Formal	Energetic, motivating	Workplace, sports
29	Swift action needed	Act quickly	Swift action needed to avoid delay.	Professional	Informal	Formal, assertive	Business
30	Act now	Immediate response	Act now to secure your spot.	Professional	Casual	Urgent, motivating	Marketing, work

Mini Quiz / Self-Check

Which phrase is formal and best for emails?
a) Chop-chop
b) Expedite
c) Shake a leg
Which is inappropriate in a boardroom meeting?
a) Please proceed promptly
b) Step on it
c) Immediate action required
“Step it up” is best used to:
a) Urge friends
b) Motivate colleagues
c) Write a formal letter
Choose the playful, informal alternative:
a) Hasten
b) Make it snappy
c) Promptly

Comparison Table: Top 10 Alternatives

Phrase	Tone	Best Use
Move faster	Direct	Casual
Get a move on	Friendly	Casual
Step on it	Energetic	Casual
Let’s pick up the pace	Encouraging	Work
Make it snappy	Playful	Informal
Expedite	Formal	Professional
Accelerate	Neutral	Workplace
Immediate action required	Serious	Professional
Prioritize	Assertive	Workplace
Hurry along	Neutral	Casual

FAQs

Can I use “hurry up” in professional emails?
Only with polite modifiers like “please” or “kindly”; otherwise, choose formal alternatives.
What is a playful alternative to “hurry up”?
“Shake a leg” or “chop-chop” works best in casual speech.
Which phrases are best for workplace urgency?
Expedite, prioritize, or immediate action required.
Is “make it snappy” appropriate for formal writing?
No, it is informal and playful.
Why learn alternatives to “hurry up”?
To improve fluency, vary tone, and sound natural in professional and casual English.

Conclusion

Mastering alternatives to “hurry up” allows you to sound confident, fluent, and natural in English. You can adjust your tone depending on whether the situation is formal, casual, or professional.

Practice using these alternatives in daily conversations, emails, and meetings to express urgency politely and effectively while keeping your English fresh and versatile.