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.

If that happens, selling can be expected to accelerate.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

“We must accelerate the shift to homegrown clean energies,” said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, in late April.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

L3Harris LHX -1.69%decrease; red down pointing triangle Technologies raised its full-year outlook after logging higher profit and revenue in the first quarter, as demand for weapons continued to accelerate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

The level of Palace's interest will become clearer in due course as the club accelerate their efforts to identify Glasner's successor.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

They accelerate to prevent migrants from reboarding up ahead.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario

Vocabulary lists containing accelerate

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Holes

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Commonly Misspelled Words, List 2

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!