# haste

/ˈheɪst/ (US) · /hˈeɪst/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/haste
Updated: 2026-05-06

## Definition

the act of moving or acting very quickly, often because you are in a hurry. You use this word when speed is the most important thing.

For teachers: excessive speed or urgency of movement or action; rapidity of motion. Often carries a connotation of recklessness or a lack of deliberation.

## Examples

- In his haste to leave, he forgot his keys on the table.
- The report was written in great haste and contained several avoidable spelling mistakes.
- The legislation was pushed through with unseemly haste, leaving little time for the opposition to scrutinize the potential long-term consequences of the new tax laws.

## Pitfalls

- Not "he did it with haste" but "he did it in haste" — While 'with haste' is grammatically possible, the idiomatic preposition for this noun in most contexts is 'in'.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used in the fixed expression 'in haste' or the proverb 'haste makes waste'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.