gathering pace
Momentum is building
Gathering pace describes something accelerating or gaining momentum.
A movement, project, or trend that is gathering pace is speeding up or intensifying: The campaign for reform is gathering pace.
The phrase suggests gradual but noticeable acceleration rather than sudden change.
More common in British than American English, where "picking up steam" often serves the same purpose.
- acceleratingIncreasing in speed
- quickeningFirst felt fetal movement
- picking up steamIncreasing in momentum
- surgeSudden powerful increase
- intensifyingIncreasing in strength
building momentum · rush · dash · full tilt · taking off · proliferating · snowball effect · runaway train · escalating · speeding up · momentum · gaining traction · zoom · trajectory · expanding · gaining · picking up · ripple effect
gathering paceslowing down
Reducing pace or velocity
decelerating · grinding to a halt · petering out · winding down · tailing off
gathering pacestalling
Intentional delay tactics
losing steam · faltering · sputtering · stagnating · fizzling out
gathering pacelosing steam
Declining in energy or force
fizzling out · dying down · ebbing · waning · fading
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