apace
Americanadverb
adverb
Etymology
Origin of apace
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English a pas(e) “at a (good) pace”; see a- 1, pace 1
Explanation
When something happens apace, it happens quickly. You could say that despite the rain, your house painting project is still continuing apace. You're most likely to see the adverb apace describing some kind of work, and it's usually paired up with the verb continue. A harried theater director might insist that progress on the new play continues apace, or you might notice that your next door neighbor's chicken coop construction is continuing apace, progressing rapidly. The literal meaning of the 14th century phrase a pace was "at a pace," or "at a good pace."
Vocabulary lists containing apace
A Midsummer Night's Dream
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The Tragedy of Macbeth
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Julius Caesar
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The targeting of oil refineries has continued apace.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Wall Street gets one more sign that Boeing’s turnaround continues apace.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Chip titans SK hynix and Samsung were once again the standout performers in Seoul, which jumped three percent Friday and has rocketed more than 100 percent this year as the AI boom continues apace.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
Had the Defense Department’s harm-reduction mission continued apace, current and former officials say, the policies almost certainly would’ve reduced the number of noncombatants harmed over the past year.
From Salon ● Mar. 11, 2026
Twilight was coming on apace and a star or two was already out, but the remains of the sunset could still be seen in the west.
From "The Horse and His Boy" by C.S. Lewis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
