What is the difference between "quicker" and "faster"?

Solution 1:

The definition of the two words makes them synonymous in virtually all cases. However, they do have slightly different connotations that lead to preference in usage. I generally think of something as "fast" if it can achieve a high speed. I think of something as "quick" if it responds rapidly to input. This generally leads to preference of one word over the other in context; "fast" is used in context of speed, while "quick" is used in context of time. So, you would travel fast to get somewhere quickly.

In the same vein, "quick" is used to describe the quality of an action that is short and powerful, e.g. a "quick head-fake". "Fast" is generally used to describe actions that are more sustained, e.g. "a fast sprint down the field".

None of this is concrete; you hear of someone, say in a race, having "the fastest time" much more often than "the quickest time". Clearly, the context is time, not speed, but use of "fast" is preferred anyway.

Solution 2:

In sports, fast typically refers to speed and quick is more likely to refer to reflexes.

A quick basketball player is more likely to get a rebound or steal the ball, while a fast one will arrive at the other end of the court sooner.

Solution 3:

Faster is a comparison of speed. (100mph v 120mph) Quicker is a comparison of time. (10min v 20min)

In modern conversation they are often used interchangeably.

Solution 4:

According to the entries in Dictionary.com for fast and quick, they are almost exact synonyms, and neither is incorrect.

If you want a quick answer, read no further than this: choose whichever you have heard most or whichever sounds right to you. If you're not sure, remember that you can't go far wrong when you are choosing between fast and quick.

To expound, from my experience, I would say that "getting somewhere quicker" is less commonly used than "getting somewhere faster", and if I were to choose between your examples, I would tend toward the more common word faster. A good general rule for colloquial or casual speech or writing is: use the word that is most readily known and understood.

The difference between quick and fast is very slight. In your examples, I believe faster is the more usual word; hence I would use it. However, in the sentence "A humane death is quick and painless", fast would not be my choice, because "fast death" is much less common than "quick death". Also, as you have already read, I used the word quick when referring to my shorter answer (higher up). That is because a "fast answer" did not sound as usual to me.

In cases like this, in which there are two synonyms being decided between, you have a lot of freedom, and ultimately you ought to choose which, from your experience, is more common, and more readily understood.

Solution 5:

In a 'scientific' context:

• 'quicker' usually refers to acceleration, that is the rate at which an object gains speed.

• 'faster' usually refers to velocity, that is the speed of the object in a given direction.

A real-life example would be as follows:

A car that could travel at 200 mph, but took an hour to get to that speed and had a 0-60mph time of 3 minutes would very fast, but not quick at all.

A car that could only travel at a top speed of 60mph, but could go from 0-60mph in half a second would be extremely quick, but not very fast.

EDIT:

To more directly answer your question... both are correct grammatically, and simply have slightly different connotations. The person who got there 'quicker' may have spent last time traveling. The person who got there 'faster' was traveling at a higher speed. In general, the first one is probably would people MEAN to say, though the second isn't necessarily wrong.