hasten

verb

has·​ten ˈhā-sᵊn How to pronounce hasten (audio)
hastened; hastening ˈhās-niŋ How to pronounce hasten (audio)
ˈhā-sᵊn-iŋ

intransitive verb

: to move or act quickly
She hastened up the stairs.

transitive verb

1
: to encourage to move or act quickly : to urge on
hastened her to the doorA. J. Cronin
2
: to cause to happen more quickly : accelerate
His death was hastened by alcoholism.
hasten the coming of a new orderD. W. Brogan
hastener
ˈhās-nər How to pronounce hasten (audio)
ˈhā-sᵊn-ər
noun

Examples of hasten in a Sentence

His death was hastened by alcohol abuse. hasten the activation of yeast with heat
Recent Examples on the Web But the move, hastened by a European regulatory mandate passed last year, is a largely symbolic measure that comes years after most other gadgets switched to USB-C. Allison Morrow, CNN, 12 Sep. 2023 As e-commerce hastens a warehousing boom in some of the hottest parts of the country, regulations have lagged behind workplace heat risks. Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 7 Aug. 2023 Meanwhile, the protest movement had hastened regional realignments that once seemed unthinkable. Azadeh Moaveni, The New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2023 Enjoy the little comforts whilst utilizing this wonderful vitamin to hasten your journey to wellness. 9. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Aug. 2023 By the 1930s, the wolf population had been all but wiped out, their disappearance hastened by aggressive hunting by European settlers and then national programs to eradicate predators on public lands. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2023 Maine’s offshore wind push has been hastened by energy shocks. New York Times, 18 Aug. 2023 The Eagles helped hasten the demise of that league in 2003 by defecting to the ACC starting with the 2005 season in search of brighter lights and bigger paydays. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Aug. 2023 In addition to jockeying for the military appointment, however, Du Bois sincerely believed that the sacrifices of Black troops overseas would hasten the cause of equality at home. Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hasten.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see haste entry 1

First Known Use

1568, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of hasten was in 1568

Cite this Entry

“Hasten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hasten. Accessed 21 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

hasten

verb
has·​ten ˈhā-sᵊn How to pronounce hasten (audio)
hastened; hastening ˈhās-niŋ How to pronounce hasten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
1
: to urge on
2
: to speed up : accelerate
hastened my steps
3
: to move or act quickly : hurry
hastener
ˈhās-nər How to pronounce hasten (audio)
-ᵊn-ər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hasten

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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