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.

Bitcoin could stage a sharper rally if it breaks above $75,000 on strong volume, as a short squeeze can accelerate gains as traders buy back to cover positions, BTC Markets crypto analyst Rachael Lucas said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

"The end of Hungarian obstruction to Ukraine's accession does not mean it will accelerate," summed up Sebastien Maillard from the Jacques Delors think tank.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

Artemis V and beyond will aim to accelerate the cadence of lunar landings to one every six months and continue to test technology to make lunar landings easier and cheaper.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

By encouraging collaboration between scientists, clinicians, and technology experts, the initiative aims to accelerate progress in addressing major health challenges.

From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2026

Thus, when you accelerate an object—when you subject it to any force, be it gravity or be it the push of a gigantic cosmic elephant—you change its motion through space and through time: through space-time.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

Vocabulary lists containing accelerate

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

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Holes

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