What does "hasten" most closely mean?

The term "hasten" means to act quickly or to cause something to happen sooner. In this context, it emphasizes the idea of increasing speed or urgency in an action or process. When you hasten something, you are essentially prompting it to occur more rapidly than it might otherwise.

The other options represent actions that are opposite in nature to hastening. Slowing down, delaying, or postponing are all synonymous with taking more time or causing a reduction in speed, which directly contradicts the meaning of hastening. Therefore, rushing aligns perfectly with the definition of hasten, making it the correct choice.