at breakneck speed — extremely fast, often in a way that seems dangerous or reckless
Part of speech: ADVERB
Definition: extremely fast, often in a way that seems dangerous or reckless
Pronunciation (IPA): /ət ˈbreɪknɛk spiːd/
Example Sentences
- My little brother finished his homework at breakneck speed just to play video games sooner.
- The startup's user base grew at breakneck speed, doubling every month.
- He ate the spicy noodles at breakneck speed and immediately regretted it.
at breakneck speed
ADVERB[/ət ˈbreɪknɛk spiːd/]
extremely fast, often in a way that seems dangerous or reckless

The messenger galloped at breakneck speed to deliver the king's urgent decree.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From 'break' + 'neck', originally describing dangerously steep terrain that could literally break one's neck; later extended metaphorically to describe alarmingly fast speed.
Breakdown
break (to fracture) + neck (body part) → breakneck (adj, dangerously fast/steep) + speed (noun)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My little brother finished his homework at breakneck speed just to play video games sooner.”
“The startup's user base grew at breakneck speed, doubling every month.”
“He ate the spicy noodles at breakneck speed and immediately regretted it.”
“The construction crew finished the building at breakneck speed to meet the deadline.”
“She typed her essay at breakneck speed the night before it was due, fueled by pure panic.”
📚Related Words
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