Cool MateHaste vs Rush
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Haste
Top 3,000 (common)
Rush
Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb
Most common: Rush
| Haste | Rush | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //heɪst//🇺🇸 //heɪst// | 🇬🇧 /["/rʌʃ/","/ˈrʌʃɪz/","/rʌʃt/","/ˈrʌʃɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/rʌʃ/","/ˈrʌʃɪz/","/rʌʃt/","/ˈrʌʃɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | Doing something quickly. | to move quickly or hurry |
| Example | In her haste to leave, she forgot her phone. | I had to rush to the station to catch my train before it left. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | make haste, in haste, with great haste | headlong, madly, quickly, along, from, into, come rushing, go rushing, rush to somebody’s rescue, headlong, madly, quickly, along, from, into, come rushing, go rushing, rush to somebody’s rescue |
| Antonyms | delay, slowness, dawdle, tardiness | slow, dawdle, linger |
| Common mistakes | Using 'hasty' instead of 'haste' incorrectly., Confusing 'haste' with 'hurry' in some contexts. | Incorrectly using 'rush' as a noun without an article when needed., Using 'rushed' as a present tense instead of the correct form., Confusing 'rush' with 'push' in the context of moving quickly. |
| Usage notes | Use 'haste' to describe urgency, but avoid informal contexts. More suitable for writing or formal speech. | Commonly used when talking about a need to hurry, like catching a bus. Avoid in very formal situations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Haste vs Rush
What's the difference between Haste and Rush?
Haste: Doing something quickly. Rush: to move quickly or hurry
Which is more common: Haste and Rush?
Rush is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Haste: In her haste to leave, she forgot her phone. Rush: I had to rush to the station to catch my train before it left.
Can I use Haste and Rush interchangeably?
Not always. Haste and Rush are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.