The pace of something is how fast or slow it moves or happens. A runner's pace is their speed: running at a steady pace means keeping the same speed throughout a race, while a slow pace means taking your time. In a story, if the action picks up pace, events start happening faster and more intensely.

When you're working on a project, you might need to pace yourself so you don't get exhausted before finishing. This means spreading out your effort over time instead of rushing through everything at once. A teacher might pace a lesson by breaking it into smaller parts so students can absorb the material without feeling overwhelmed.

The word also means to walk back and forth repeatedly, usually when someone feels nervous or is thinking hard about something. You might pace around your room while rehearsing a speech, or notice a zookeeper pacing while waiting for important news about an animal.

When someone says “keep pace with” another person, they mean staying even with them, whether in a race, in schoolwork, or in understanding new ideas. If your reading skills keep pace with your classmates, you're progressing at the same rate as they are.