1
as in to increase
to become greater in size, extent, volume, amount, or number
toy purchases accelerate dramatically during the Christmas season
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to rush
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to expand
to make greater in size, amount, or number
the company accelerated its advertising purchases even as the economy appeared to be in recession
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of accelerate
But the Rebels’ urgency to find a transfer quarterback accelerated Friday after the Chambliss decision.
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Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Good, struck in the head, loses control of the SUV, which accelerates and crashes into a parked car about 140 feet away.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 10 Jan. 2026
Boston Dynamics has also announced a partnership with DeepMind, Alphabet's British-American artificial intelligence research lab, to accelerate the humanoid's capabilities.
—New Atlas, 10 Jan. 2026
An agent opened fire when Good accelerated her SUV.
—Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for accelerate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accelerate
Verb
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The committee approved Lucas’s amendment and approved the recommendation to increase funding for the temporary jail.—
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Iwobi’s movement drags Ladislav Krejci wider, increasing the space between the lines and creating a clear passing angle for Calvin Bassey.—
Verb
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First responders in Atlanta rushed to an airport runway Tuesday after an aircraft experienced a harrowing landing failure, with all eight of its landing tires bursting the moment the plane touched down, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.—
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Lopez rushed her back to the emergency room, where an MRI revealed a diagnosis of transverse myelitis, a rare inflammatory disorder affecting the spinal cord.—
Verb
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Flywing also plans to expand the competitive side of the platform.—
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Neutrality allowed the nation to build strength, expand westward, and avoid the ideological contagions sweeping the continent.—
Verb
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There were 107 homicides in Kansas City in 2012, and while that number dipped to as low as 82 homicides in 2014, the number of homicides continued to rise until a peak in 2023 at 182 homicides.—
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Tensions rise when Nora, a stage actress, rejects Gustav's offer to star in his comeback film and is forced to confront her feelings toward her estranged father.—
Verb
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But the billionaire has pushed back against guardrails for Grok within the firm, one source with knowledge of the situation at xAI told CNN.—
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More than three months after a fire destroyed more than a dozen businesses in a shopping center in Colorado's Nederland community, many residents are still pushing for the debris to be cleaned up.—
Verb
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This innovative approach not only speeds the design process but also frees up designers to focus on more creative tasks, demonstrating how AI can be used as a tool to augment human creativity rather than replace it.—
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Powell levels could be augmented by Upper Basin contributions to protect infrastructure.—
Verb
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But the longstanding regime’s grasp on power now appears more tenuous than ever as the swelling opposition movement demands substantive change.—
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Tensions mount in Minneapolis Hundreds of people took to the streets of Minneapolis to protest within hours of Good’s death and demonstrations have continued to swell in the ensuing days.—
Verb
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To hasten ripening, place persimmons in a paper bag with ethylene-producing fruit like a banana or apple.—
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They were outplayed by the Panthers (8-10) for the most part from there, and mixed in some bad football to hasten their potential demise.—
Cite this Entry
“Accelerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accelerate. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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