accelerate

Formsaccelerates, accelerating, accelerated

1. 1
   verbintransitive

   To start moving faster, or to keep gaining speed.

   Like a ball rolling downhill, going faster and faster.

   The car began to accelerate as the road cleared.

   Sprinters accelerate hard out of the starting blocks.

   Similarspeed, quicken

   Oppositedecelerate, slow, brake

2. 2
   verbtransitive

   To make something move faster, or to add to its speed.

   Like pushing a swing harder so it moves faster.

   The driver accelerated the car to pass the truck.

   Engines accelerate the rocket as it leaves the ground.

   Similarspeed, quicken

   Oppositeslow, decelerate

   Note
3. 3
   verbtransitive

   To make a process happen faster than it normally would.

   Like turning up the heat to make something cook faster.

   Warm weather can accelerate the ripening of fruit.

   Poor habits accelerated the aging of his skin.

   Similarhasten, quicken, speed, expedite, hurry

   Oppositeslow, retard, delay

   Note
4. 4
   verbtransitive

   To make an event happen sooner than expected.

   Like a small spark that makes a fire start sooner.

   The crisis accelerated the company's collapse.

   Bad weather can accelerate the start of the migration.

   Similarhasten, precipitate, expedite, advance, hurry

   Oppositedelay, postpone, defer

5. 5
   verbtransitive

   To make something speed up, slow down, or change the direction it is moving.

   Like giving a shopping cart a push so it speeds up.

   A small push can accelerate a toy car across the smooth floor.

   Powerful engines accelerate the rocket as it climbs into the sky.

   Oppositedecelerate

   Note
6. 6
   verbintransitive

   To grow or increase, often more and more quickly.

   Like a snowball that grows bigger and faster as it rolls.

   House prices began to accelerate after the new factory opened.

   Demand for the game accelerated through the holiday season.

   Similarquicken, increase, rise, grow, surge

   Oppositeslow, decelerate

7. 7
   verbtransitive

   To help a student finish their studies in less time than usual.

   Like skipping ahead a level in a game because you are already good at it.

   The program can accelerate gifted students through high school.

   The school accelerated her through two grade levels in one year.

   Similaradvance, fast-track

   Note

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