facilitate

American  

[fuh-sil-i-teyt] / 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

KAA said it was "working closely with the relevant aviation agencies, airlines and other stakeholders to manage the situation, minimise disruption and facilitate the smooth flow of airport operations."

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

Asked Monday about breaking a trade truce with China, Mr. Bessent said, “If they facilitate transactions and are part of the ecosystem that turns Iranian oil into money into repression, they will be targeted.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

In a sane world he would provide answers that could facilitate greater understanding of his actions and motivations, and how he believes those actions will benefit the American people.

From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026

Roads can also facilitate the spread of flammable invasive grasses and other fire fuels.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

In response to my grandfather’s question, Zizmo only opens his door: to facilitate escape.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

“There is a deep connection with the cosmos in Mexico. I’ve seen it in anthropology books; this vision of art as a healing agent that facilitates spiritual growth.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

"However, our data show that water mainly facilitates mantle melting. The key factor for high gold concentrations is the high - and in part repeated - degree of melting."

From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026

Getting rid of the physical disc also facilitates distribution by reducing supply-chain hiccups and the possibility of a premature leak.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 25, 2026

The company’s platform facilitates the digital ads that surround mobile apps, especially games.

From Barron's ● May 6, 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

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

Navy data in a report over the weekend that said the U.S. facilitated 74 transits through Hormuz from Thursday through Saturday, or around 25 transits a day on average.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

In correspondence previously provided to the BBC, the Met said: "The live investigation into those who could have facilitated or enabled Mohamed Al Fayed's offending continues."

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Having sympathetic warders facilitated one of our most vital tasks on Robben Island: communication.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Indiana acknowledged that Planned Parenthood was facilitating legal abortions.

From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026

"Releasing her in particular would go a long way to facilitating Myanmar's re-invitation at the political level," Michaels said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

Trying facilitating a frank conversation about what needs to be in order.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

"It is hard to see why Mark Zuckerberg thinks facilitating yet more of this creepy image manipulation is a good idea."

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

Writing empowered European societies by facilitating political administration and economic exchanges, motivating and guiding exploration and conquest, and making available a range of information and human experience extending into remote places and times.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• aid
• ease
• expedite
• further
• help
• promote
• simplify
• speed