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.

Requested spending on research and development for the next fiscal year includes $54.6 billion for the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, set up last year to accelerate investments in AI-powered drones and uncrewed systems.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

“It will increase costs and increase the burden on others to organize their selves and accelerate the tendency toward regional supply chains.”

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

He predicts the stock could be “range-bound” until the company is able to accelerate its Azure growth or further drive Copilot adoption.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

Google’s Gemini models and Vertex AI will be embedded directly into Avid’s processes, offering customers a chance to accelerate their editing time.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 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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