Is 'fast forward' one word, two words, or hyphenated?

Both 'fast forward' (open) and 'fast-forward' (hyphenated) are correct, especially as a verb or adjective. The hyphenated form is very common.

Can 'fast forward' be used for time in the past?

No, it implies moving forward from the current point to a future point. For the past, you use 'rewind'.

What's the difference between 'fast forward' and 'skip'?

'Fast forward' implies moving quickly through the content (you might still see/hear it sped up), while 'skip' often means jumping directly to a point, completely omitting the interim content.

Is the figurative use of 'fast forward' formal?

It is informal but widely accepted in professional spoken communication and business writing. Avoid in highly formal academic or legal texts.

fast forward

UK/ˌfɑːst ˈfɔːwəd/US/ˌfæst ˈfɔːrwərd/

Informal, but widely used in media, business, and everyday contexts.

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

To advance rapidly through recorded content (like a video or audio), skipping ahead.

To move quickly or progress to a later point in time, process, or sequence; to accelerate or skip over intervening details.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Primarily a noun or verb (often hyphenated as "fast-forward"). As a noun, it refers to the function or button itself. Figurative use is common to describe skipping ahead mentally or temporally.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant differences in meaning. Hyphenation (fast-forward) is common in both, but open spelling is also accepted. The figurative usage is equally prevalent.

Connotations

Neutral in both. Associated with technology (VCRs, media players) and modern pace of life.

Frequency

Equally frequent. Figurative usage may be slightly more frequent in business/planning contexts in American English.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

buttonfunctiontapevideothrough

medium

modelifeplanningto the end

weak

aheadmomentclock

Grammar

Valency Patterns

fast forward through somethingfast forward to somethinghit/press fast forwardin fast forward

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

zip throughrace ahead

Neutral

skip aheadadvance quicklyjump forward

Weak

speed uphurry through

Vocabulary

Antonyms

rewindgo backslow downpause

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“Life is on fast forward”
“To hit the fast-forward button on something”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Used to describe accelerating a project timeline or skipping preliminary stages (e.g., 'Let's fast forward to the Q3 results').

Academic

Rare in formal writing; may appear in media studies or narratives about technological impact.

Everyday

Common for media playback and describing a busy period (e.g., 'The week just fast-forwarded').

Technical

Specific function in media players and editing software.

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

I'll fast-forward through the adverts.
Can we fast-forward to the interesting part of the meeting?

American English

Let's fast-forward the video to the goal.
He fast-forwarded his career by taking that job.

adverb

British English

The video played fast forward.
My life seems to be moving fast forward.

American English

He watched the lecture fast forward.
Things are happening fast forward.

adjective

British English

Press the fast-forward button.
We're living in a fast-forward culture.

American English

Use the fast-forward feature.
It was a fast-forward version of events.

Examples

By CEFR Level

I know how to fast forward the film.
The fast forward button is broken.

She fast-forwarded to the song she liked.
You can use fast forward to skip the boring parts.

If we fast-forward a few months, you'll see the project was a success.
The documentary fast-forwards through centuries of history.

The merger talks effectively fast-forwarded the company's expansion into Asia.
We need to mentally fast-forward past the current crisis to plan for recovery.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of the twin arrows pointing right on a remote control – they literally want to go FAST FORWARD.

Conceptual Metaphor

TIME IS A RECORDED TAPE/MEDIA that can be sped up or skipped.

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Avoid direct calque 'быстро вперед' for the verb. Use 'перематывать вперед' (for media) or figuratively 'проматывать/пропускать'.

Common Mistakes

Using 'fast forward' as a simple synonym for 'hurry' without the connotation of skipping (e.g., 'I fast forwarded to the bus stop').

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

I missed the scene, so I had to to watch it again.

Multiple Choice

In a business context, 'Let's fast-forward to the launch' most likely means:

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: Both 'fast forward' (open) and 'fast-forward' (hyphenated) are correct, especially as a verb or adjective. The hyphenated form is very common.
: No, it implies moving forward from the current point to a future point. For the past, you use 'rewind'.
: 'Fast forward' implies moving quickly through the content (you might still see/hear it sped up), while 'skip' often means jumping directly to a point, completely omitting the interim content.
: It is informal but widely accepted in professional spoken communication and business writing. Avoid in highly formal academic or legal texts.