express
adjective · noun · adverb · verb
Simple meaning
Moving or operating quickly, as a train not making local stops.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
ihksprehsSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ɪkspˈɹɛs
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
not comparable
Moving or operating quickly, as a train not making local stops.
comparable
Specific or precise; directly and distinctly stated; not merely implied.
Truly depicted; exactly resembling.
noun
A mode of transportation, often a train, that travels quickly or directly, either on a regular schedule or as a special or excursion. Express trains often pass through stations along the way without stopping at them.
A service that allows mail or money to be sent rapidly from one destination to another.
A messenger sent on a special errand; a courier.
An express rifle.
An express office.
That which is sent by an express messenger or message.
adverb
Moving or operating quickly, as a train not making local stops.
verb
transitive
To convey or communicate; to make known or explicit.
transitive
To press, squeeze out (especially said of milk).
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner (estimated)
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: (not comparable) Moving or operating quickly, as a train not making local stops.
Used this way, express is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use express
- “He caught the express to New York.”noun
- “Can you express this distance in kilometers?”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
Precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Pale yellow fatty oil expressed from sweet or bitter almonds.
Produce laughter.
Give verbal or other expression to one's feelings.
Send by express mail or courier.
Give verbal or other expression to one's feelings.
Produce laughter.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
The feelings expressed on a person's face.
An art movement early in the 20th century.
A way of expressing something (in language or art or music etc.) that is characteristic of a particular person or group of people or period.
An indirect way of expressing something.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: mode of transportation or often a train
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