Definitions

accelerate

[ak-sel-uh-reyt] / ækˈsɛl əˌreɪt /

VERB

increase speed, timing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

advance expedite further hasten open up quicken spur step up stimulate

STRONG

drive dust forward gun hurry impel precipitate railroad rev roll tool

WEAK

fire up hammer on lay a patch lay rubber make tracks nail it peel rubber put on afterburners put pedal to metal rev up speed up step on the gas

Antonyms

STRONGEST

block cease check delay discourage halt hinder slow stop

STRONG

dissuade repress wait

WEAK

decelerate defer impede postpone retard slow down

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.

Conventional forecasts relied on something known as the Phillips curve, which predicts that wages and prices accelerate when the unemployment rate falls below some natural, sustainable level that can’t be directly observed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026

In the short term, it will probably drive some countries back to burning coal and accelerate oil drilling in the Western Hemisphere.

From Salon • Jun. 21, 2026

However, space is already getting crowded, and launching thousands of large orbital data centers would accelerate this issue.

From Science Daily • Jun. 19, 2026

"Then we made some decisions, playing long when we should play short, playing short when we should play long, not playing through the gaps to accelerate our game the way we wanted to."

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026

In the center of the track, Azucar began to uncurl his long legs and accelerate, grinding away at the lead.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Vocabulary lists containing accelerate

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

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Holes

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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 2

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