pace

1 of 3

noun

ˈpās 

1

a

: rate of movement

the runner's pace

especially : an established rate of locomotion

b

: rate of progress

specifically : parallel rate of growth or development

supplies kept pace with demand

c

: an example to be emulated

specifically : first place in a competition

three strokes off the pace

—Time

d(1)

: rate of performance or delivery : tempo

a steady pace

on pace to set a record

especially : speed

serves with great pace

a pace bowler in cricket

(2)

: rhythmic animation : fluency

writes with color, with zest, and with pace

—Amy Loveman

2

: a manner of walking : tread

… walked slowly, with even, unhesitating pace …

—Willa Cather

3

a

: step sense 2a(1)

b

: any of various units of distance based on the length of a human step

4

a

paces plural : an exhibition or test of skills or capacities

the trainer put the tiger through its paces

b

: gait

especially : a fast 2-beat gait (as of the horse) in which the legs move in lateral pairs and support the animal alternately on the right and left legs

pace

2 of 3

verb

paced; pacing

intransitive verb

1

a

: to walk with often slow or measured tread

b

: to move along : proceed

2

: to go at a pace

—used especially of a horse

transitive verb

1

a

: to measure by pacing

—often used with off

paced off a 10-yard penalty

b

: to cover at a walk

could hear him pacing the floor

2

: to cover (a course) by pacing

—used of a horse

3

a

: to set or regulate the pace of

taught them how to pace their solos for … impact

—Richard Goldstein

also : to establish a moderate or steady pace for (oneself)

b(1)

: to go before : precede

(2)

: to set an example for : lead

c

: to keep pace with

pace

3 of 3

preposition

pa·​ce ˈpā-(ˌ)sē 

ˈpä-(ˌ)chā,

-(ˌ)kā 

: contrary to the opinion of

—usually used as an expression of deference to someone's contrary opinion

Easiness is a virtue in grammar, pace old-fashioned grammarians …

—Philip Howard

—usually italics

Did you know?

Though used in English since the 19th century, the preposition pace has yet to shed its Latin mantle, and for that reason it's most at home in formal writing or in contexts in which one is playing at formality. The Latin word pace is a form of pax, meaning "peace" or "permission," and when used sincerely the word does indeed suggest a desire for both. This Latin borrowing is unrelated to the more common noun pace (as in "keeping pace") and its related verb ("pacing the room"); these also come from Latin, but from the word pandere, meaning "to spread."

Synonyms

Verb

• file
• march
• parade
• stride

Examples of pace in a Sentence

Noun

We walked at a leisurely pace along the shore.

The pace of the story was slow.

His new album is selling at a blistering pace.

Verb

When she gets nervous she paces back and forth.

He was pacing and muttering to himself.

She paced the other runners for the first half of the race.

Advertisements are paced so that they are shown more often during peak sales seasons.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Set in a former grocery store, it’s become a beacon for Bodø’s nascent creative community that—swelled by Bodø natives returning home—has started to gather pace. —Ben Olsen, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Apr. 2024

Their development cycle is far too rapid for conventional electronic warfare to keep pace. —IEEE Spectrum, 10 Apr. 2024

The National Association of Realtors has highlighted the fact that income hasn’t kept pace—for more than half of 2023, the median family income didn’t meet the qualifying income to be able to purchase an existing home with a 20% deposit. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2024

It’s since seen a slower pace of production and deliveries have further slipped behind for the market leader and its German rival, Airbus. —Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 8 Apr. 2024

The first episode dispenses backstory at a dizzying pace before reaching the terrible, tremendous evacuation. —Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024

Game 1: Royals on pace to shatter team pitching record after 10-1 win over White Sox Game 2: The Kansas City Royals are back to .500 after late rally Game 3: A KC Royals ... —Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2024

Yet to the surprise of just about everyone, the economy has kept growing steadily and employers have kept hiring at a healthy pace. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 6 Apr. 2024

Against a spectacular background of limestone cliffs they are put through their paces from hill runs to higher-grade rock climbs. —John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024

Verb

Jamie Squire / Getty Images Samson Johnson has helped build that lead of late, stringing together two massive dunks to pace UConn’s offense. —NBC News, 9 Apr. 2024

The cheetahs paced at the highest point of their grassy yard during the eclipse while a warthog waited at its back gate. —Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024

After that, South Carolina paced the game, a fitting end to the team’s astonishing perfect season, 38-0. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024

Kyle Larson paces the field by more than two seconds, followed by a pair of Toyota drivers in Martin Truex Jr. and Bubba Wallace. —Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 31 Mar. 2024

It’s all briskly paced, benefiting from suitably evocative sets, costumes and the bit-part bite of Eileen Atkins (as one of Edith’s friends). —Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2024

In footage obtained by the outlet, the music mogul, 54, appeared to be pacing around freely with cell phone in hand on Monday afternoon around 3 p.m. local time at the Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport. —Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 26 Mar. 2024

Besides Brandon Miller, who paced the Hornets with 24 points and eight rebounds against the Cavaliers, no one has played in more games for Charlotte this season. —Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2024

Meanwhile, in a Royal Farms convenience store parking lot near Fort Armistead Park, Jesus Campos, an employee at Brawner Builders, paced, waiting for news about his colleagues. —Emily Davies, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English pas, from Anglo-French, stride, step, from Latin passus, from pandere to spread — more at fathom

Preposition

Latin, ablative of pac-, pax peace, permission — more at pact

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1522, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Preposition

1863, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pace

• pace lap
• pace oneself
• pace of life
• pick/step up the pace
• at someone's own pace
• at a snail's pace
• pace car
• keep pace with
• set the pace
• change of pace
• snail's pace
• pace off
• off the pace
• pick up the pace
• keep pace

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Kids Definition

pace

1 of 2 noun

ˈpās 

1

a

: rate of moving especially on foot

b

: rate of progress

the pace of the story was slow

2

a

: a manner of going on foot : gait

b

: a fast gait of a horse in which legs on the same side move together

3

: a single step or a measure based on the length of a human step

pace

2 of 2 verb

paced; pacing

1

: to walk with slow steady steps

pacing to and fro

2

: to cover at a walk

pace the floor

3

: to measure by paces

pace off twenty feet

4

: to set or regulate the pace of

tried to pace himself during the marathon

pacer noun