verb
quicken
KWIHKN
Quicken (verb) means to make something happen faster or more quickly. Example: “The good news quickened her pace back to the office.”
verb
1
To make something happen faster or more quickly.
"The good news quickened her pace back to the office."
"Fear quickened his heartbeat as the footsteps got closer."
2
To become faster.
"Her breathing quickened as she neared the finish line."
3
To bring to life or stir into activity; to arouse or stimulate.
"The speech quickened the crowd's enthusiasm for the cause."
How to use quicken
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo speed up, or to stir something into livelier action.
Common mistake
Don't assume "quicken" only means "speed up" — it can also mean "to bring to life" or "to excite," an older sense still used in formal writing.
Common pairings
quicken the pace
quicken one's pulse
quicken interest
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Word forms
- Plural
- quickens
- Third person singular
- quickens
- Past tense
- quickened
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The good news _____ her pace back to the office.
Etymology
Built from the old sense of "quick" meaning "alive" (as in "the quick and the dead") plus the verb-forming suffix "-en," so it originally meant "to bring to life."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for quicken
See all rhymes for quicken →Frequently asked questions
What does “quicken” mean?
The word “quicken” means to make something happen faster or more quickly. In plain terms, to speed up, or to stir something into livelier action.
How do you pronounce “quicken”?
“Quicken” is pronounced KWIHKN (/ˈkwɪk(ə)n/ in IPA).
How do you use “quicken” in a sentence?
Here is “quicken” used in a sentence: “The good news quickened her pace back to the office.”
What part of speech is “quicken”?
“Quicken” is a verb.
How many meanings does “quicken” have?
“Quicken” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make something happen faster or more quickly.
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