breakneck speed
Velocity risking injury
Breakneck speed is dangerously fast movement—so fast you risk breaking your neck if something goes wrong.
The phrase emphasizes reckless velocity: The cab tore through traffic at breakneck speed.
It applies to anything progressing faster than seems safe or sustainable: Technology advances at breakneck speed.
- lightningAtmospheric electrical discharge
- racingSpeed competition sport
- hurtlingMoving dangerously fast
- blazingBurning very brightly
- velocityDirected rate of motion
full throttle · pedal to the metal · reckless · furious · pedal · throttle · adrenaline · blur · whipping · tearing · hell for leather · careening · fast and furious · dangerous · death defying · chase · rush · wind
- speedquickness, rate, velocity, pace, swiftness
- rushingrushing, hurrying, dashing, sprinting, racing
- Speed Expressionsin a flash, quick as a flash, in no time, lickety-split, lickety split
- Pacing Termsslow burn, fast pace, measured pace, brisk pace, plodding
- speedsterminal velocity, escape velocity, orbital velocity, supersonic, subsonic
breakneck speedsnail's pace
Extremely slow movement
crawl · standstill · dead stop · creep · slow motion
breakneck speedsteady pace
Uniform rate of motion
measured pace · safe speed · easy going · taking one's time · slow and steady
break, neck, speed, breaks, breaking, broken, breaker, breakage, outbreak