Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to hurtle towards

to hurtle towards

5 6.8
To move very fast and out of control toward something, often causing harm
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈhɜːrtl təˈwɔrdz/
: lanzarse hacia
  • A giant asteroid is hurtling towards Earth!

So we just keep hurtling towards that big bright light.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • So we just keep hurtling towards that big bright light.

    DoctorRamani

  • We're all hurtling towards death.

    Synecdoche, New York (2008)

  • I'm hurtling towards you as we speak, sir.

    2012 (2009)

  • Guys, don't worry about the fact that we're hurtling towards the ground.

  • Sure, we're hurtling towards Earth in a tin can, staring squarely into the face of death.

    The Bad Guys 2 (2025)

  • The car was hurtling towards the wall before the driver could react.

  • As the roller coaster plunged down the track, we felt ourselves hurtling towards the ground.

  • Without any brakes, the bike was hurtling towards the oncoming traffic.

Synonyms

to hurl
vsto hurtle towards
32 3.5

To move your body forward suddenly with force

implies a violent, unstoppable movement aimed at something rather than any forceful act
to hurtle
vsto hurtle towards
23 6.8

To move very fast and with great force like a train or meteor

moves the same way but specifically toward something and often out of control
to fling
vsto hurtle towards
7 4.1

To move yourself suddenly and forcefully, often without control

is more about violent motion directed toward a target rather than self action
to pelt down
vsto hurtle towards
  • Informal
1 7.2

To run or move very quickly without control

adds a stronger sense of violent approach and unstoppable motion toward a target
to onrush
vsto hurtle towards
1 6.7

To rush forward suddenly toward someone or something

is similar but stresses being unstoppable and violently out of control
to cannonball along
vsto hurtle towards
  • Informal
7.1

To move very quickly in a straight, forceful way

carries more violence and an out of control approach toward a specific object
to elance
vsto hurtle towards
9.9

To move suddenly and fast in one direction

is more violent and uncontrollable, pushing toward a target rather than a quick dart

Antonyms

retreat
80 4.4

A move back from a place to escape danger

How Fast

to hurtle towards
5 6.8
to charge
150 3.6

Surface Forms

hurtle towards infinitive
hurtled towards past
hurtled towards past participle
hurtling towards present participle
hurtles towards third person singular

Morphology

hurtle + toward

The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'hurtle' (to move very rapidly with force) plus 'toward(s)' (in the direction of), so a learner who knows both words can infer movement that is fast, violent, and directed at something. This motion-verb + directional preposition pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows standard English composition, making the MWE immediately comprehensible to learners who know the constituents.

Etymology

Hurtle towards paints a picture of something heavy or very fast crashing forward, and towards shows the direction it goes. Imagine a big rock rolling down a hill and smashing fences as it comes closer; that's why hurtle towards means 'to move quickly and violently in the direction of something' and often feels out of control.