Definitions

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.

The company says its healthcare AI work will accelerate drug-discovery research and regulatory reviews of clinical trials, adding that doctors can use AI to offload administrative work and spend more time with patients.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

When the previous two corrections hit, the selling didn’t necessarily accelerate right away, but the downtrends that got them there continued.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026

The funding will be used to accelerate Neura's activities, ranging from the deployment of robots to the rollout of "gyms" for clients to train bots, and the development of the company's physical AI systems.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

They deliver powerful bursts of thrust that allow spacecraft to quickly accelerate, decelerate, climb, descend, or change position.

From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026

But she was afraid to accelerate for fear of running into a speed trap.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

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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