accelerate

[ak-sel-uh-reyt] / ækˈsɛl əˌreɪt /

VERB

increase speed, timing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

advance expedite further hasten open up quicken spur step up stimulate

STRONG

drive dust forward gun hurry impel precipitate railroad rev roll tool

WEAK

fire up hammer on lay a patch lay rubber make tracks nail it peel rubber put on afterburners put pedal to metal rev up speed up step on the gas

Antonyms

STRONGEST

block cease check delay discourage halt hinder slow stop

STRONG

dissuade repress wait

WEAK

decelerate defer impede postpone retard slow down

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And the rise of physical AI applications, such as robots, promises to accelerate demand for the materials used in everything from iPhones to fighter jets.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

An emotional France captain Manae Feleu though pressed for the process to accelerate further.

From BBC • May 17, 2026

"This study helps clarify how the physiological stressors associated with biological aging may accelerate biological processes linked to aging and disease," said Abdelnaby Khalyfa, M.Sc.,

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

Someone may intend to work until 67 or 70, she noted, but a health issue, downsizing or caregiving responsibility at 62 or 63 can accelerate retirement — whether they feel financially ready or not.

From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026

The theory of relativity says that the rocket power needed to accelerate a spaceship gets greater and greater the nearer it gets to the speed of light.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

Vocabulary lists containing accelerate

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

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Holes

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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 2

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