accelerate

[ ak-sel-uh-reyt ]
See synonyms for accelerate on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),ac·cel·er·at·ed, ac·cel·er·at·ing.
  1. to cause faster or greater activity, development, progress, advancement, etc., in: to accelerate economic growth.

  2. to hasten the occurrence of: to accelerate the fall of a government.

  1. Mechanics. to change the velocity of (a body) or the rate of (motion); cause to undergo acceleration.

  2. to reduce the time required for (a course of study) by intensifying the work, eliminating detail, etc.

verb (used without object),ac·cel·er·at·ed, ac·cel·er·at·ing.
  1. to move or go faster; increase in speed.

  2. to progress or develop faster.

Origin of accelerate

1
First recorded in 1515–25; from Latin accelerātus “sped up,” past participle of accelerāre “to speed up,” from ac- ac- + celerāre “to hasten, hurry” (from celer “swift”)

Other words from accelerate

  • ac·cel·er·a·ble, adjective
  • ac·cel·er·at·ed·ly, adverb
  • o·ver·ac·cel·er·ate, verb, o·ver·ac·cel·er·at·ed, o·ver·ac·cel·er·at·ing.
  • re·ac·cel·er·ate, verb, re·ac·cel·er·at·ed, re·ac·cel·er·at·ing.
  • self-ac·cel·erat·ing, adjective
  • un·ac·cel·er·at·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use accelerate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for accelerate

accelerate

/ (ækˈsɛləˌreɪt) /


verb
  1. to go, occur, or cause to go or occur more quickly; speed up

  2. (tr) to cause to happen sooner than expected

  1. (tr) to increase the velocity of (a body, reaction, etc); cause acceleration

Origin of accelerate

1
C16: from Latin accelerātus, from accelerāre to go faster, from ad- (intensive) + celerāre to hasten, from celer swift

Derived forms of accelerate

  • accelerable, adjective
  • accelerative or acceleratory, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012