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.

Lower costs, he argues, will unlock broader adoption and accelerate innovation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

The dust could worsen if looming water cutbacks on the Colorado River accelerate the decline of the Salton Sea.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Locally, it is hoped this will help accelerate the innovation and commercialisation of cutting-edge space technologies across Norfolk and Suffolk.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Morgan analyst Brian Essex was similarly optimistic about the collaboration, saying in a note that it would help accelerate the development of security platforms.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Their response pretty much across-the-board was to accelerate their rate of arrival, and to spread out as much as was humanly possible.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

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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