View synonyms for pacing

pacing

[ pey-sing ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the act or result of setting the rate of movement or progress, as of a story, movie, lesson, etc.:
The pacing of a video presentation must be appropriate; too slow is just as common (and as bad) as too fast.
the act of walking back and forth, as to expend nervous energy:
For several minutes after she entered, he continued his restless pacing to and fro as if unaware of her presence.
the act of walking with slow, regular steps:
Above my head, at intervals, I heard the pacing of the sentry upon the roof.
the act or process of measuring something by counting the steps taken to walk its length at a normal stride:
Though surveyors find it a quick and easy way to measure distance in the field, accurate pacing can only be accomplished by practice.

adjective

walking back and forth, as to expend nervous energy:
I tried to focus my attention on anything but the rapidly pacing detective, who was deep in thought.
walking with slow, regular steps:
Seeing the pacing security guard in front of the sliding doors, she looked around quickly for another way out.
(of a horse or other animal) moving in such a way that the feet on the same side are lifted and put down together:
A pacing horse will swing its head from side to side as opposed to up and down.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of pacing¹

First recorded in 1450–1500; pac(e) ¹( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun senses; pac(e) ¹( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective senses

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Example Sentences

The rapid pace of all this is jarring — but it’s also exactly how I predicted that the show would end.

From Vox

“The supply isn’t keeping pace with demand,” said Amy Hewett, spokeswoman for the Virginia Health Care Association.

From Washington Post

BuzzFeed has managed to turn its commerce operation into a strength — it is on pace to generate more than $50 million in revenue this year — but it has done so largely with deals aimed at younger, price-conscious readers and audiences.

From Digiday

Not because of Ng’s abilities but because of the glacial pace at which the male-dominated sports leagues embrace change.

From Washington Post

Paul has a special combination of quickness, pace, precision, vision, shooting touch and spatial awareness that allows him to find creases in defenses that few others can access.

From FiveThirtyEight

We see the pacing and its effect on the people below, all in one shot.

From The Daily Beast

In short, Tuchman writes with great brio, exquisite pacing, and a keen eye for telling details and arresting quotes.

From The Daily Beast

The animation is beautifully rendered and the storytelling top notch even if the pacing is, at times, erratic.

From The Daily Beast

It stayed at the top for three days, out-pacing tracks by Maroon 5, Kendrick Lamar, and 50 Cent.

From The Daily Beast

When Bratton descended to the trains, a man was pacing the platform edge, ranting in Spanish.

From The Daily Beast

His pacing had brought him to the opposite end of the board, where stood the cup of wine madame had poured for Marius.

From Project Gutenberg

The men were about to fight when the others interfered, saying it was only fair a third party should do the pacing.

From Project Gutenberg

The governor was pacing back and forth in his private office, talking with the sheriff who sat near-by.

From Project Gutenberg

To attain this end the student should begin by pacing some length of road where the distances are well known.

From Project Gutenberg

You might be pacing the tiled hall of a suburban villa, rather than the House of God.

From Project Gutenberg

Word of the Day

April 18, 2024petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

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pacify Pacinian corpuscle

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