speed-up
noun
an increasing of speed.
speed-up
American
[speed-uhp]
/ ˈspidˌʌp /
noun
-
an increasing of speed.
-
an imposed increase in the rate of production of a worker without a corresponding increase in the rate of pay.
speed up
British
verb
noun
speed up
Idioms
Usage
The past tense and past participle of speed up is speeded up , not sped up
Etymology
Origin of speed-up
First recorded in 1920–25; noun use of verb phrase speed up
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.
See Examples For:
The ice-tongue speed-up period was independently confirmed by satellite observations.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
Hybrid computing often leads to a speed-up in a particular task, as was the case here.
From Barron's ● Mar. 10, 2026
Derek Lessard of TD Cowen says in a report that this acquisition should help speed-up M&A and deliver more meaningful synergies over time, especially once the new business is integrated into the broader company’s operations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2025
That speed-up carried over to the postseason, where nine-inning World Series games averaged 3:01, the fastest since 1996.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 16, 2023
It is my hope, indeed, that the new speed-up of production will cause many businesses which now pay below the minimum standards to bring their wages up.
From The Fireside Chats of Franklin Delano Roosevelt by Franklin Delano Roosevelt
At ThredUp, AI helps sort the millions of pieces of clothing sent into warehouses, helping speed up operations and reduce costs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
The Ozempic maker is partnering with the AI firm to speed up drug development.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Lu says that should speed up their development process and ensure their software can run on different machines.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
These speed up the sales process for vendors by appealing to customers who can’t predict what they need.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
But we kept slowing down, groping our way across the totally unobstructed plain, and it took a strong effort of will to speed up to a normal pace.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
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.
