accelerate
verb
ac·cel·er·ate ik-ˈse-lə-ˌrāt 
ak-
accelerated; accelerating
intransitive verb
1
: to move faster : to gain speed
The car slowly accelerated.
The pace of change has accelerated in recent months.
2
: to progress from grade to grade more rapidly than usual : to follow a speeded-up educational program
transitive verb
1
: to bring about at an earlier time
Circumstances accelerated their departure.
2
: to cause to move faster
accelerated his steps
also : to cause to undergo acceleration
3
a
: to hasten the progress or development of
accelerate our efforts
b
: increase
accelerate food production
4
a
: to enable (a student) to complete a course in less than usual time
b
: to speed up (something, such as a course of study)
Synonyms
- accumulate
- appreciate
- balloon
- boom
- build up
- burgeon
- bourgeon
- climb
- enlarge
- escalate
- expand
- gain
- increase
- mount
- multiply
- mushroom
- proliferate
- rise
- roll up
- snowball
- spread
- swell
- wax
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
She stepped on the gas and the car accelerated. The plane accelerated down the runway. She stepped on the gas and accelerated the car. He says that cutting taxes will help to accelerate economic growth. The rate of economic growth has continued to accelerate.
Recent Examples on the Web This program will include 130 diverse women who will help accelerate female advancement into roles of executive leadership and entrepreneurship, Norell announced. 
Sara Tidwell, The Enquirer, 23 Aug. 2022 Younger merchants are often more likely to think of payments as a growth lever for their business and are seeking PSPs that can help accelerate their trajectory. Jordan Mckee, Forbes, 15 Aug. 2022 And importantly, there was government support to help accelerate development and distribution. Ron Peck, STAT, 2 Aug. 2022 The new bill would help accelerate the trend toward lower emissions in electricity and transportation, expanding tax credits for new wind turbines, solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles. New York Times, 2 Aug. 2022 Green-energy supporters say the Ukraine war and high fuel prices could help accelerate the continent’s transition, forcing painful shifts away from oil and gas, and changing consumer habits that otherwise might have stayed entrenched. Anna Hirtenstein, WSJ, 1 Aug. 2022 An emergency declaration on climate would allow Biden to redirect federal resources to bolster renewable energy programs that would help accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels such as coal and oil. Seung Min Kim And Matthew Daly, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2022 That Sroka comes from the PMA will help accelerate that vision, Ellegood says. Deborah Vankinstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2022 As the Celtics marched toward the brink of a championship last season, a player who could be part of their future was taking part in a unique study abroad program that could help accelerate his NBA arrival. Adam Himmelsbach, BostonGlobe.com, 11 July 2022 See More
Sara Tidwell, The Enquirer, 23 Aug. 2022 Younger merchants are often more likely to think of payments as a growth lever for their business and are seeking PSPs that can help accelerate their trajectory. Jordan Mckee, Forbes, 15 Aug. 2022 And importantly, there was government support to help accelerate development and distribution. Ron Peck, STAT, 2 Aug. 2022 The new bill would help accelerate the trend toward lower emissions in electricity and transportation, expanding tax credits for new wind turbines, solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles. New York Times, 2 Aug. 2022 Green-energy supporters say the Ukraine war and high fuel prices could help accelerate the continent’s transition, forcing painful shifts away from oil and gas, and changing consumer habits that otherwise might have stayed entrenched. Anna Hirtenstein, WSJ, 1 Aug. 2022 An emergency declaration on climate would allow Biden to redirect federal resources to bolster renewable energy programs that would help accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels such as coal and oil. Seung Min Kim And Matthew Daly, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2022 That Sroka comes from the PMA will help accelerate that vision, Ellegood says. Deborah Vankinstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2022 As the Celtics marched toward the brink of a championship last season, a player who could be part of their future was taking part in a unique study abroad program that could help accelerate his NBA arrival. Adam Himmelsbach, BostonGlobe.com, 11 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Latin accelerātus, past participle of accelerāre "to add speed to, hasten the occurrence of, go quickly," from ad- ad- + celerāre "to hasten," verbal derivative of celer "swift, speedy," perhaps going back to *keli-li-/ri-, derivative from the Indo-European base of Greek kélomai, kelésthai "urge, exhort," kelēt-, kélēs "swift horse, charger"
First Known Use
circa 1522, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Kids Definition
accelerate
verb
ac·cel·er·ate ak-ˈse-lə-ˌrāt
accelerated; accelerating
1
: to move or cause to move faster
The car accelerated going downhill.
2
: to cause to happen more quickly
Using plant food accelerates growth.
Medical Definition
accelerate
verb
ac·cel·er·ate ik-ˈsel-ə-ˌrāt, ak-
accelerated; accelerating
transitive verb
: to cause to move faster or speed up
accelerated speech and motor activity in manic patients
also : to cause to undergo acceleration
intransitive verb
: to move faster : gain speed
Legal Definition
accelerate
verb
ac·cel·er·ate
accelerated; accelerating
transitive verb
: to bring about at an earlier time: as
a
: to advance (the maturity date of a security agreement) so that payment of the debt in full is due immediately see also acceleration clause
b
: to cause (a future interest in property) to vest by removing the preceding interests (as by failure or premature termination)
intransitive verb
: to enforce an acceleration clause
held that the creditor's right to accelerate was suspended J. J. White and R. S. Summers
J. J. White and R. S. Summersaccelerates
verb
1
as in increases
to become greater in size, extent, volume, amount, or number toy purchases accelerate dramatically during the Christmas season Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- increases
- rises
- expands
- swells
- intensifies
- multiplies
- climbs
- accumulates
- escalates
- proliferates
- waxes
- enlarges
- spreads
- surges
- heightens
- jumps
- mounts
- gains
- booms
- snowballs
- appreciates
- rolls up
- balloons
- mushrooms
- skyrockets
- burgeons
- bourgeons
- builds up
- inflates
- redoubles
- distends
- rockets
- peaks
- crests
- bulks
- crescendoes
- puffs (up)
- blows up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- decreases
- diminishes
- lessens
- recedes
- wanes
- contracts
- dwindles
2
as in rushes
to cause to move or proceed fast or faster we accelerated preparations for the hurricane upon hearing weather reports that it had gained speed Synonyms & Similar Words
- rushes
- pushes
- quickens
- hastens
- encourages
- hurries
- facilitates
- urges
- fast-tracks
- propels
- whisks
- drives
- expedites
- bundles
- aids
- speeds (up)
- spurs
- stirs
- prods
- goads
- eases
- races
- dispatches
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- decelerates
- brakes
- retards
- slows (down)
- hinders
- impedes
- restrains
- interferes (with)
- hampers
- delays
- reins (in)
- encumbers
- stops
- hobbles
- stays
- holds back
- holds up
- arrests
- ties up
- checks
- stalls
- fetters
- shackles
- trammels
- stills
- manacles
3
as in expands
to make greater in size, amount, or number the company accelerated its advertising purchases even as the economy appeared to be in recession Synonyms & Similar Words
- increases
- expands
- augments
- boosts
- multiplies
- extends
- enhances
- raises
- amplifies
- intensifies
- escalates
- enlarges
- reinforces
- maximizes
- stokes
- strengthens
- swells
- hypes
- compounds
- aggrandizes
- ups
- prolongs
- builds up
- heightens
- lengthens
- supersizes
- pumps up
- develops
- skyrockets
- inflates
- dilates
- jumps
- adds (to)
- complements
- elongates
- distends
- stretches
- supplements
- spikes
- accumulates
- protracts
- magnifies
- booms
- draws out
- amasses
- collects
- blows up
- ratchets (up)
- bumps (up)
- reenforces
- rachets (up)
- follows up
- fleshes (out)
- beefs (up)
- parlays
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- reduces
- decreases
- diminishes
- lowers
- lessens
- shortens
- dwindles
- downsizes
- abates
- curtails
- subtracts (from)
- abridges
- compresses
- abbreviates
- condenses
- constricts
- minifies
- de-escalates
- contracts
- retrenches
- cuts back