facilitate

American  

[fuh-sil-i-tayt] / fəˈsɪl ɪˌteɪt /

verb (used with object)

• facilitates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• facilitated,
  past participle,  past
• facilitating
  present participle

1. 

   to make easier or less difficult; help forward (an action, a process, etc.).

   Careful planning facilitates any kind of work.

2. to lead or moderate (a discussion, workshop, etc.), especially as a person trained to do so.

   An instructor will facilitate the online discussions, providing students with the questions beforehand.

3. to assist the progress of (a person).

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facilitate British  

/ fəˈsɪlɪˌteɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to make easier; assist the progress of

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• facilitator
  noun
• facilitative
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• facilitating
  present
• facilitated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• facilitate
  simple
• facilitates
  simple
• have facilitated
  perfect
• has facilitated
  perfect
• am facilitating
  progressive
• are facilitating
  progressive
• is facilitating
  progressive
• have been facilitating
  perfect progressive
• has been facilitating
  perfect progressive

Past

• facilitated
  simple
• had facilitated
  perfect
• was facilitating
  progressive
• were facilitating
  progressive
• had been facilitating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will facilitate
  simple
• will have facilitated
  perfect
• will be facilitating
  progressive
• will have been facilitating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of facilitate

First recorded in 1605–15; facilit(y) + -ate ¹

Explanation

To facilitate means to make something easier. If your best friend is very shy, you could facilitate her efforts to meet new people. Facilitate comes from the Latin facilis, for "easy." It means to make something easier or more likely to happen. You facilitate growth or a process, as opposed to, say, dinner. Often in business meetings someone will be assigned to facilitate a discussion so people don't just sit in awkward silence. Synonyms are ease, simplify, expedite, and assist.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

facilitate facilitates facilitated facilitating

It separated the company into five units to facilitate potential sales of noncore units, including Boots.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

His generosity is so well known, in fact, that an industry of lobbyists, lawyers and other insiders has reportedly sprung up to facilitate clemency for wealthy criminals.

From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026

It said the grant from Jersey Community Foundation covered the charge to the government of Jersey's health and community services, which supply and facilitate the preparation of the meals.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

Electronic devices need chips that process data in a synchronized way, and SiTime makes components that facilitate this.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

There was even a train system to facilitate transporting the miners from the Nut to the very center of the main town in District 2.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency says it facilitates clinical research, but it is still too early to know whether psychedelic treatments might one day become routinely available.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

People do this because rolling funds into a plan often facilitates another maneuver and the funds are often still accessible.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026

On any given week, Longwell’s political strategy and communications firm Longwell Partners facilitates multiple focus-group discussions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026

The updated accord facilitates trade in auto parts, a sector particularly affected by Trump's tariffs.

From Barron's ● May 22, 2026

For the plant the change is highly disadvantageous, but it facilitates harvest by humans—the grain waits on the stem to be collected.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

For example, perhaps increased closeness to parents facilitated by smartphones or gentler parenting styles leads young adults in their 20s and early 30s to be more comfortable living with their folks.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026

The exhibition was facilitated by the Watford Labour MP Matt Turmaine after he saw Fawley's work at the care home.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

In a statement, the activists called for an independent investigation to establish "who requested, authorised, facilitated and concealed Dr Besigye's rendition".

From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026

So that’s what made me think I couldn’t make the movie and that’s what facilitated this idea.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

Our desks were arranged in a U shape because Ms. McCrea said that being able to see each other facilitated discussion.

From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan

It does still bar them from knowingly or recklessly facilitating such sales, and it requires them to take “reasonable measures” to prevent them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026

The NBA penalized the Los Angeles Clippers for violating salary-cap rules by facilitating outside payments to star player Kawhi Leonard.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

Indiana acknowledged that Planned Parenthood was facilitating legal abortions.

From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026

"We are committed to facilitating appropriate consideration of the use of character references following conviction, acknowledging that there will be a broad range of views. "

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

Hubler could make hundreds of millions facilitating the idiocy of Morgan Stanley’s customers.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• aid
• ease
• expedite
• further
• help
• support