verb

hasten

HAY-sn

Hasten (verb) means to move or act quickly, or to make something happen sooner. Example: “She hastened to explain that it was all a misunderstanding.”

verb

To move or act quickly, or to make something happen sooner.

"She hastened to explain that it was all a misunderstanding."

"Poor diet can hasten the onset of illness."

How to use hasten

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo speed up — either yourself moving faster, or causing some event to arrive earlier than it would have.

Common pairings

hasten to add hasten the process hasten someone's recovery

Word forms

hastened past tense, Hastens plural, hastens singular

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She _____ to explain that it was all a misunderstanding.

Etymology

Formed from "haste" plus the verb-forming suffix "-en," on the pattern of words like "sweeten" or "loosen."

Synonyms

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race quicken speed up rush zoom

Related words

run class cut attack race charge species competition

Rhymes for hasten

fasten

See all rhymes for hasten →

Frequently asked questions

What does “hasten” mean?

The word “hasten” means to move or act quickly, or to make something happen sooner. In plain terms, to speed up — either yourself moving faster, or causing some event to arrive earlier than it would have.

How do you pronounce “hasten”?

“Hasten” is pronounced HAY-sn (/ˈheɪ.sn̩/ in IPA).

How do you use “hasten” in a sentence?

Here is “hasten” used in a sentence: “She hastened to explain that it was all a misunderstanding.”

What is another word for “hasten”?

Words with a similar meaning to “hasten” include race, quicken, speed up, rush and zoom.

What part of speech is “hasten”?

“Hasten” is a verb.

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run class cut attack race charge species competition