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Synonyms

speed-up

American  
[speed-uhp] / ˈspidˌʌp /

noun

  1. an increasing of speed.

  2. an imposed increase in the rate of production of a worker without a corresponding increase in the rate of pay.

speed up British  

verb

  1. to increase or cause to increase in speed or rate; accelerate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. an instance of this; acceleration

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
speed up Idioms  

  1. Accelerate, expedite, increase the rate, as in The car speeded up as it went downhill, or It's difficult to speed up production without new equipment. [Late 1800s]

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.

Hybrid computing often leads to a speed-up in a particular task, as was the case here.

From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026

"The speed-up couldn't come sooner for patients who need help now."

From Science Daily • Feb. 21, 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 Roosevelt, Franklin Delano

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.