hastened; hastening
ˈhā-sᵊn-iŋ 
ˈhās-niŋ
: to move or act quickly
She hastened up the stairs.
1
: to encourage to move or act quickly : to urge on
… hastened her to the door.—
A. J. Cronin
A. J. Cronin2
: to cause to happen more quickly : accelerate
His death was hastened by alcoholism.
hasten the coming of a new order—D. W. Brogan
D. W. BroganExamples of hasten in a Sentence
His death was hastened by alcohol abuse.
hasten the activation of yeast with heat
Recent Examples on the Web
Disruptions caused by the war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz will also hasten the oil industry’s adoption of AI, AIQ CEO Dennis Jol said at the convening.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 18 June 2026
By daybreak melatonin levels are already declining in most of us, as the body clock anticipates the day to come, but the first splash of light in the eyes helps hasten the process and keep us in sync with the sun.
—Literary Hub, 17 June 2026
The decline of the area’s office market — notably in downtown Hartford and north of Hartford — was hastened by the pandemic and a shift of an increasing number of workers splitting time between home and office.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2026
Around the world, innovative architects, scientists, and engineers are exploring building techniques and materials that can create places to live without hastening climate change.
—Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 16 June 2026
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Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 18 June 2026
By daybreak melatonin levels are already declining in most of us, as the body clock anticipates the day to come, but the first splash of light in the eyes helps hasten the process and keep us in sync with the sun.
—Literary Hub, 17 June 2026
The decline of the area’s office market — notably in downtown Hartford and north of Hartford — was hastened by the pandemic and a shift of an increasing number of workers splitting time between home and office.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2026
Around the world, innovative architects, scientists, and engineers are exploring building techniques and materials that can create places to live without hastening climate change.
—Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hasten
Cite this Entry
“Hasten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hasten. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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