Simile for Going Through Something Fast: 40+ Vivid Examples to Accelerate Your Writing

⏱ Reading time: 8 min read

Similes for going through something fast help writers capture those fleeting moments when time seems to vanish or experiences blur past in an instant. The examples below span emotional, physical, and temporal scenarios, each ready to drop into your work.

Similes for Rushing Through Difficult Times

When life gets tough, we often want to speed through the pain. These similes capture that desperate hurry to get to the other side.

• “like sprinting through a storm” — “He got through the divorce like sprinting through a storm, head down, just trying to reach shelter.” (urgent, survival-focused)
• “like tearing off a bandage” — “She handled the confrontation like tearing off a bandage, quick and sharp, better over fast.” (decisive, painful but necessary)
• “like diving into cold water” — “The interview went by like diving into cold water, shocking at first, then over before you knew it.” (startling, brief shock)
• “like running through fire” — “That week felt like running through fire, every step burning, but we made it through.” (intense, painful urgency)
• “like swallowing bitter medicine” — “He accepted the criticism like swallowing bitter medicine, grimacing but getting it done quickly.” (unpleasant but necessary speed)
• “like jumping into an icy lake” — “The apology came out like jumping into an icy lake, shocking and fast, then the cold reality set in.” (sudden, jarring)
• “like racing through a minefield” — “She navigated the family dinner like racing through a minefield, careful but desperate to escape.” (dangerous, tense speed)

The “tearing off a bandage” simile works because it’s universally understood—everyone knows that moment of anticipation followed by sharp relief. My students reach for this one constantly when writing about difficult conversations.

Similes for Quick Transitions and Changes

Life moves fast, and sometimes we barely notice the shift from one state to another. These similes capture those rapid transformations.

• “like flipping a switch” — “His mood changed like flipping a switch, dark to bright in an instant.” (sudden, complete transformation)
• “like seasons changing overnight” — “The neighborhood transformed like seasons changing overnight, familiar streets suddenly foreign.” (dramatic, disorienting speed)
• “like a chameleon adapting” — “She moved through the different social circles like a chameleon adapting, never staying one color for long.” (fluid, constant change)
• “like pages turning in wind” — “The years went by like pages turning in wind, each one gone before you could read it.” (relentless, uncontrollable)
• “like melting ice” — “His resistance faded like melting ice, solid one moment, liquid the next.” (gradual but swift dissolution)
• “like a snake shedding skin” — “The company rebranded like a snake shedding skin, leaving the old identity behind fast.” (complete renewal, necessary change)
• “like clouds passing” — “Her anger cleared like clouds passing, sunshine returning before he could apologize.” (natural, temporary)

According to Through, the concept of moving through states or conditions is fundamental to how we understand change and transformation in language.

Similes for Speeding Past Obstacles

Sometimes going through something fast means dodging, leaping, or bulldozing through barriers. These similes emphasize that forward momentum.

• “like a bullet through glass” — “The news spread like a bullet through glass, shattering silence instantly.” (destructive speed, unstoppable)
• “like a knife through butter” — “She solved the problem like a knife through butter, smooth and effortless.” (easy, clean speed)
• “like lightning splitting sky” — “The idea came to him like lightning splitting sky, sudden and brilliant.” (flash of insight, dramatic)
• “like water finding cracks” — “Doubt seeped in like water finding cracks, fast and inevitable.” (persistent, natural flow)
• “like a comet burning through atmosphere” — “His youth vanished like a comet burning through atmosphere, bright and brief.” (spectacular, fleeting)
• “like wind through tall grass” — “Rumors traveled like wind through tall grass, bending everything in their path.” (swift, widespread impact)
• “like an arrow to target” — “She went straight to the point like an arrow to target, no hesitation.” (direct, purposeful speed)

The “knife through butter” simile is honestly overused—I tell my students to skip it unless they’re deliberately going for cliché. But “like a comet burning through atmosphere” has real power: the visual is vivid, the sound has alliteration, and it carries both beauty and tragedy.

Similes for Moving Through Time Rapidly

Time itself can feel like it’s rushing past, especially during intense experiences. These similes make that sensation concrete.

• “like minutes turning to hours” — “The conversation flowed like minutes turning to hours, time losing meaning.” (absorbing, timeless)
• “like a fast-forward button” — “Summer vacation went by like a fast-forward button, here then gone.” (frustrating speed, loss)
• “like sand through an hourglass” — “Her childhood slipped away like sand through an hourglass, impossible to hold.” (inevitable, melancholic)
• “like a speeding train” — “The meeting rushed by like a speeding train, stations blurring past.” (relentless, unstoppable momentum)
• “like a river to the sea” — “The day flowed like a river to the sea, natural and swift.” (smooth, destined)
• “like clock hands racing” — “Deadline approached like clock hands racing, faster than they should move.” (anxiety-inducing, unnatural speed)
• “like a shooting star” — “Their romance burned like a shooting star, brilliant and brief.” (intense, tragically short)

Similes for Brief, Fleeting Experiences

Some things are meant to be fast—moments that flash by but leave lasting impressions. These similes celebrate that brevity.

• “like a hummingbird’s visit” — “Her smile came like a hummingbird’s visit, gone before you could appreciate it.” (delicate, elusive)
• “like a spark in darkness” — “Hope flickered like a spark in darkness, bright then gone.” (fragile, momentary)
• “like a breath on glass” — “The memory faded like a breath on glass, there then vanished.” (ephemeral, delicate)
• “like a bubble popping” — “The illusion burst like a bubble popping, instant and complete.” (sudden end, fragility)
• “like firefly light” — “Joy appeared like firefly light, sporadic and brief.” (magical, unpredictable)
• “like a shadow at noon” — “His confidence shrank like a shadow at noon, minimal and fleeting.” (temporary diminishment)
• “like morning dew” — “Peace settled like morning dew, beautiful but temporary.” (fresh, evaporating quickly)

The “hummingbird’s visit” simile is one I always champion—it’s specific enough to feel fresh but universal enough that readers immediately understand. The rhythm of those three words also creates a nice quick beat that mirrors the speed it describes.

Similes for Swift Emotional Processing

Emotions can race through us faster than we can name them. These similes capture that rapid internal movement.

• “like a wave crashing” — “Grief hit her like a wave crashing, overwhelming and fast.” (powerful, all-consuming)
• “like electricity through wire” — “Excitement shot through him like electricity through wire, instant and energizing.” (vibrant, immediate)
• “like a stone dropped in water” — “The realization spread like a stone dropped in water, ripples moving outward fast.” (expanding impact, quick propagation)
• “like fever breaking” — “Tension released like fever breaking, sudden relief.” (intense to calm, healing speed)
• “like a match striking” — “Anger flared like a match striking, quick ignition.” (sudden, potentially dangerous)
• “like medicine taking effect” — “Calm came over her like medicine taking effect, gradual but certain.” (soothing, inevitable)
• “like a door slamming” — “Disappointment hit like a door slamming, final and loud.” (abrupt, definitive)

According to Something, the human experience of processing emotions rapidly is a universal phenomenon that language has evolved to describe through comparison and metaphor.

How to write your own “going through something fast” simile

Creating your own simile for speed takes practice, but I’ve found this three-step process works every time:

Step 1: Identify the specific type of speed. Is it frantic speed? Smooth speed? Painful speed? Joyful speed? The quality matters more than just “fast.”

Step 2: Think of natural phenomena or everyday actions that match that quality. Don’t reach for the obvious (lightning, speed of light). Dig deeper—what about a startled cat? A dropped tray? A sneeze?

Step 3: Test it aloud. Does it have rhythm? Does the comparison make immediate sense, or does it require too much explanation?

Worked example: Let’s say you’re writing about getting through an awkward conversation quickly. The speed is uncomfortable, tense, desperate. Natural phenomena… maybe a bird flying through a window? Too violent. How about someone walking on hot coals? Getting warmer. “Like walking on hot coals to reach the other side”—yes, that captures both the speed and the pain.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a good simile for speed different from just saying “fast”?

A strong simile doesn’t just tell readers something was quick—it shows them the quality of that speed. “Fast as lightning” tells you it was quick. “Like a hummingbird’s visit” tells you it was quick, delicate, and maybe you barely noticed it. The specificity creates the image.

Can I mix positive and negative similes in the same piece?

Absolutely. In fact, contrasting similes create powerful tension. If you describe someone rushing through grief “like tearing off a bandage” but then healing “like spring returning,” you’ve created an emotional arc. Just make sure the contrasts serve your purpose.

How do I avoid clichés when writing about speed?

Test every simile against this question: “Have I read this exact comparison in the last month?” If yes, dig deeper. Instead of “fast as a cheetah,” try “fast as a barista during the morning rush.” Specificity kills clichés. The version my students always reach for first is “like lightning,” but I push them toward “like a dropped ice cream cone hitting pavement”—same speed, more memorable.

When should I use a simile versus a metaphor for speed?

Use similes when you want to acknowledge the comparison is a comparison (“like,” “as”). This creates slight distance, which works well for intense emotions. Use metaphors when you want to collapse the distance entirely (“time was a thief”). For going through something fast, similes usually work better because they preserve the sense that the experience felt unreal or dreamlike.