Hasten: meaning, definitions and examples

Hasten is often used in formal or literary contexts to indicate making something happen sooner or quickly moving.

• She hastened to finish her homework before the guests arrived
• The government is hastening the development of the new policy

Accelerate is generally used in scientific or automotive contexts to describe increasing speed or progress.

• The car accelerated as it moved onto the highway
• The company plans to accelerate the launch of their new technology

Expedite is used in official or business contexts to mean making a process or action occur more quickly and efficiently.

• We need to expedite the shipping process to meet customer demand
• The manager decided to expedite the project timeline

Quicken is often used in a more abstract sense, referring to increasing the pace or intensity of something, not necessarily physical movement.

• The news quickened her heart rate
• They need to quicken the pace of their work to meet the deadline

Hurry is commonly used in everyday conversations to indicate moving or acting with haste, often due to limited time.

• We need to hurry if we want to catch the bus
• She hurried to get ready for the meeting

Hasten is often used in more formal or literary contexts to indicate quickly doing something, often with a sense of urgency or importance.

• She hastened to finish her work before the deadline.
• The need to hasten preparations for the event became evident.

Rush implies doing something quickly and often carelessly or chaotically, due to pressure or lack of time. It can have a slightly negative connotation.

• She rushed through her homework and made several mistakes.
• The rush to meet the deadline caused much stress.

Speed typically refers to the general concept of moving quickly and can be used in various contexts, including driving or simply acting fast.

• He drove at high speed down the highway.
• They had to speed up the process to meet the delivery date.

Hurry can be used in both formal and informal contexts to suggest moving or doing something with increased speed due to time constraints.

• If you don't hurry, we'll miss the train.
• He told her to hurry up, as the meeting was about to start.

Dash typically implies a very quick, often sudden movement, often with a sense of excitement or urgency. It's less formal and can also imply a short distance.

• He dashed to the store to buy some milk.
• She made a dash for the exit as soon as the bell rang.