1
as in to accelerate
to cause to move or proceed fast or faster
she eventually quickened her pace so she could keep up with the others
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stimulate
to give life, vigor, or spirit to
the news that we'd head to Florida for Christmas quickened the children, who instantly began jumping for joy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quicken
And there’s nothing like the disorienting effect of standing in darkness in an unfamiliar place to quicken the senses and sharpen the ear.
—
Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
After Aurangzeb’s death in 1707, succession struggles and a string of weak rulers—some reigning for as little as a few months and often acting as mere puppets for others—quickened the empire’s fragmentation.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2026
There’s a moment early in Beast — a raw, pulse-quickening opening sequence when the film lights up the screen and tips its hat to what’s to come.
—Sean Sennett, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2026
From corrective eye surgery to confining plasma for nuclear fusion research and from entertainment to quickening checkout at supermarkets, lasers are now part of our everyday lives.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quicken
Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
After Aurangzeb’s death in 1707, succession struggles and a string of weak rulers—some reigning for as little as a few months and often acting as mere puppets for others—quickened the empire’s fragmentation.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2026
There’s a moment early in Beast — a raw, pulse-quickening opening sequence when the film lights up the screen and tips its hat to what’s to come.
—Sean Sennett, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2026
From corrective eye surgery to confining plasma for nuclear fusion research and from entertainment to quickening checkout at supermarkets, lasers are now part of our everyday lives.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quicken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quicken
Verb
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Hufanga, who faced the Hill-Waddle tandem firsthand while playing for San Francisco back then, noted the duo’s ability to accelerate and decelerate to disguise in-breaking routes as deep routes and vice versa.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
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The kingdom is also accelerating spending on defense — which has taken on an even greater importance because of the war with Iran — and investments tied to artificial intelligence, logistics, and infrastructure needed for Expo 2030 and the 2034 men’s soccer World Cup.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Performance benefits often persist even in habitual users, even if the stimulating feel-good buzz fades.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
-
Retinoids stimulate fibroblast cells to produce collagen, and this takes time.—
Ellie Davis,
Vogue,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Once down, bystanders quickly rushed to his aid.—
Los Angeles Times,
Boston Herald,
8 June 2026
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Add to that mix SpaceX’s upcoming IPO, which could draw so much demand that investors rushing to raise cash to buy shares could unleash a wave of selling that ripples through the stock market.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quicken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quicken. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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