expedite

American  

[ek-spi-dahyt] / ˈɛk spɪˌdaɪt /

verb (used with object)

expedited, expediting

1. to speed up the progress of; hasten.

   to expedite shipments.

   Synonyms:

   hurry, accelerate, push, quicken

   Antonyms:

   delay

2. to accomplish promptly, as a piece of business; dispatch.

   to expedite one's duties.

3. to issue or dispatch, as an official document or letter.

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adjective

1. Obsolete. ready for action; alert.

expedite British  

/ ˈɛkspɪˌdaɪt /

verb

1. to hasten the progress of; hasten or assist

2. to do or process (something, such as business matters) with speed and efficiency

3. rare to dispatch (documents, messages, etc)

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adjective

1. unimpeded or prompt; expeditious

2. alert or prepared

Etymology

Origin of expedite

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin expedītus (past participle of expedīre “to disengage, set the feet free”), equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + ped- (stem of pēs ) foot + -ītus adjective suffix ( -ite ² )

Explanation

To expedite something is to make it go faster or speed up the process. Expediting that package might get it to Alaska by tomorrow, instead of next Tuesday. If someone says, "Let me expedite the process," that's probably a good thing: they're offering to speed things up. If you've ever waited in line a long time, then you must have wished someone could expedite things. A driver can expedite his commute by going in the faster car-pool lane. Whenever there's a lot of paperwork for something, it's nice to know someone who can expedite the process. When you see the word expedite, think "Make faster!"

Example Sentences

“This was a joint effort to expedite the reopening of the mall in a manner that would be safe for the mall’s tenants, the tenants’ employees, shoppers, students, and other mall visitors.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

“In fact, Secretary Noem’s review process was specifically designed to break through bureaucratic red tape and expedite funding requests that had previously languished for years under prior administrations.”

From Salon • Mar. 4, 2026

"Maybe the Home Secretary or someone at Parliament can expedite my wait and give me a British passport so I can fight for the country and make it proud," he says.

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026

Instead, they charge fees to expedite delivery of the funds.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 12, 2026

Watson ran down to the metal shop in the basement of the Cavendish labs to expedite the fabrication of the modeling parts.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• accelerate
• assist
• facilitate
• hasten
• promote
• quicken
• speed
• urge