quicken

verb

quick·en | \ ˈkwi-kən

quickened; quickening\ ˈkwi-kə-niŋ

, ˈkwik-niŋ \

Definition of quicken

transitive verb

1a : to make alive : revive

b : to cause to be enlivened : stimulate

2 archaic

a : kindle

b : to cause to burn more intensely

3 : to make more rapid : hasten, accelerate quickened her steps

4a : to make (a curve) sharper

b : to make (a slope) steeper

intransitive verb

1 : to quicken something

2 : to come to life especially : to enter into a phase of active growth and development seeds quickening in the soil

3 : to reach the stage of gestation at which fetal motion is felt

4 : to shine more brightly watched the dawn quickening in the east

5 : to become more rapid her pulse quickened at the sight

Other Words from quicken Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about quicken

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Choose the Right Synonym for quicken

quicken, animate, enliven, vivify mean to make alive or lively. quicken stresses a sudden renewal of life or activity especially in something inert. the arrival of spring quickens the earth animate emphasizes the imparting of motion or vitality to what is or might be mechanical or artificial. happiness animated his conversation enliven suggests a stimulus that arouses from dullness or torpidity. enlivened her lectures with humorous anecdotes vivify implies a freshening or energizing through renewal of vitality. new blood needed to vivify the dying club

synonyms see in addition provoke

Examples of quicken in a Sentence

Stimulants can quicken the heart rate. His pulse quickened at the thought of seeing her again. The approach of the deadline quickened our sense of urgency. The drama quickened when police arrived at the scene.

Recent Examples on the Web

Investors increasingly expect quickening growth to give the Fed sufficient reason to continue with its quarterly pace of interest-rate increases through the first half of next year. — Michael Wursthorn, WSJ, "U.S. Stocks Close at Records," 20 Sep. 2018 Using the design-build method is expected to quicken the process and help the district complete the center in time for the 2019 swim season, said Tim Holcomb, district assistant superintendent and chief operating officer. — Priscella Vega, latimes.com, "Newport-Mesa OKs $2-million budget increase for delayed Estancia High aquatic center," 31 Jan. 2018 The drumbeat of accusations quickened: That the EPA once considered a roughly $100,000-a-month contract to lease Pruitt a private jet. — Brady Dennis, Washington Post, "Scott Pruitt steps down as EPA head after ethics, management scandals," 5 July 2018 But the tempo has quickened since then, with the department reporting results of around 20,000 ballots or more each day. — Dominic Fracassa, San Francisco Chronicle, "London Breed adds to her narrow lead over Mark Leno in San Francisco mayoral race," 10 June 2018 Supporters say overregulation has hobbled rural industries such as timber, mining and fishing and that the state’s high taxes and cost of living are driving young people away, quickening the decline of small towns. — Hailey Branson-potts, latimes.com, "In California's rural, conservative north, there are big dreams for cleaving the state," 17 Mar. 2018 When he’s asked about the Roger Corman comparisons, his pulse quickens. — Mickey Rapkin, Town & Country, "The Horror of Jason Blum," 17 Oct. 2018 To illustrate the point of how that could quicken the pace of the game, ESPN showed quick clips from Game 7 of the World Series where the Astros' Brian McCann went to the mound to talk to starting pitcher Lance McCullers multiple times each inning. — Matt Young, Houston Chronicle, "Astros' Lance McCullers upset with ESPN's SportsCenter segment," 20 Feb. 2018 By filling in these gaps in knowledge, researchers hope to help prepare for outbreaks of violence and quicken the recovery of wildlife in the aftermath—arming themselves not with guns, but with data. — Maya Wei-haas, Smithsonian, "The Animal Cost of War," 11 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'quicken.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.