In haste

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "In haste" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to indicate that something is done quickly or without careful thought. Example: "She wrote the letter in haste, missing several important details." Alternative expressions include "in a hurry" and "in a rush."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

In haste, much may have been lost.

The Guardian

DIVORCE in haste, repent at leisure.

The Economist

That's not something to dismiss in haste.

Independent

THE Hanford Nuclear Reservation was conceived in haste.

The Economist

Legislate in haste, repent at leisure.

The Guardian

A balloon dartboard abandoned in haste.

The New Yorker

Regulate in haste, repent at leisure.

The Guardian - Opinion

Finally, tweet in haste, repent at leisure.

The Guardian

Many other auxiliaries had also canned in haste.

The New York Times

I realized I had romanticized him in haste.

The New York Times

Barry was reading from a "continuity card" written in haste.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "In haste" to emphasize the specific circumstances under which an action occurred, particularly when those circumstances might explain an error or a lack of detail. It pairs effectively with past participles like "written", "decided", "abandoned" and "conceived".

Common error

While both are technically correct, avoid using "with haste" when you want to describe a state of being or a hurried context. "In haste" is the standard idiomatic choice for describing the manner in which something was done (e.g., "the letter was written in haste"), whereas "with haste" is more often used as a command or a request for speed (e.g., "please move with haste").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "In haste" functions as an adverbial prepositional phrase. It modifies verbs to describe the manner of an action, specifically indicating that the action was performed quickly or without sufficient deliberation. Ludwig AI indicates that this is a standard and correct construction in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Social Media

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "In haste" is a robust and widely accepted prepositional phrase used to denote urgency or lack of time. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness across a vast range of high-authority sources, particularly in journalism. It is most famously associated with the proverb "marry in haste, repent at leisure", which encapsulates its typical use case: describing actions where speed may have compromised judgment. Whether describing legislation, personal decisions or writing, "In haste" serves as a precise way to indicate that an action was hurried. Writers should feel confident using it in both professional and creative contexts to add flavor and nuance to their descriptions of speed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hastily

Uses the adverbial form of the same root for more concise sentence structure.

in a hurry

More common in spoken English and slightly less formal than the query.

in a rush

Suggests a higher degree of external pressure or time constraint.

precipitately

Much more formal and often implies a reckless or sudden quality.

impulsively

Adds a psychological dimension of acting without thinking rather than just acting fast.

in short order

Focuses on the efficiency and quick completion of a sequence of events.

rapidly

Focuses on the physical speed of the action rather than the state of the actor.

expeditiously

A business-formal term implying both speed and efficiency.

post-haste

An archaic or stylistic alternative meaning with great speed.

rashly

Emphasizes the negative consequences of acting too quickly.

FAQs

How do I use "In haste" in a sentence?

You can use "In haste" as an adverbial phrase to describe how an action was performed. For example: "The decision was made <a href="/s/in+haste" target="_blank" rel="alternative">in haste and regretted later."

Is it better to say "In haste" or "Hastily"?

Both are correct, but "<a href="/s/hastily" target="_blank" rel="alternative">hastily" is a single adverb that is often more concise. "In haste" is frequently used in journalistic and literary contexts to add a specific rhythmic emphasis to the sentence.

What is the opposite of "In haste"?

The most common idiomatic opposite, especially in proverbs, is "<a href="/s/at+leisure" target="_blank" rel="alternative">at leisure". You might also use phrases like "<a href="/s/with+deliberation" target="_blank" rel="alternative">with deliberation" or "<a href="/s/carefully" target="_blank" rel="alternative">carefully".

Can I use "In haste" in formal business emails?

Yes, although it often carries a connotation of potential mistakes. If you are apologizing for a typo, you might say "This was sent <a href="/s/in+haste" target="_blank" rel="alternative">in haste". For a more positive tone regarding speed, consider using "<a href="/s/promptly" target="_blank" rel="alternative">promptly".