accelerant
Americannoun
-
something that speeds up a process.
-
Chemistry. accelerator.
-
a substance that accelerates the spread of fire or makes a fire more intense.
Arson was suspected when police found accelerants at the scene of the fire.
noun
Etymology
Origin of accelerant
1915–20; < Latin accelerant- (stem of accelerāns ) hastening (present participle of accelerāre ). See accelerate
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.
That balance — AI as an accelerant rather than a replacement — captures where much of Hollywood has landed in practice.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
Almost overnight, chips became the accelerant for the technology—and the market.
From Barron's ● May 29, 2026
“Warner Bros. would have been a nice accelerant for our strategy, but only at the right price.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026
It would be naive to say that wasn’t an accelerant.
From Slate ● Mar. 25, 2026
Another accelerant could be the shift in the Bank of Korea’s stance towards hawkish.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 25, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
