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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of accelerates
The Honda accelerates, colliding with two parked vehicles and a light post.
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Devon Lum, Twin Cities, 8 Jan. 2026
The nation’s siloed and shrinking media environment accelerates this trend.
—Brandon Rottinghaus, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
According to MyNorthwest, Andrea Suarez, executive director of the nonprofit We Heart Seattle, warned that allowing open drug use in public spaces enables addiction and accelerates harm.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Loktev shot the film on an iPhone, which evokes a casual, intimate vibe — at least until the story accelerates into a thriller.
—Steve Dollar, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
This temperature difference accelerates evaporation on one side and continuously draws water from the other, maintaining steady ion flow.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Jan. 2026
Hiring could improve in 2026 as economic growth accelerates and the effects of tariffs fade, according to Goldman Sachs.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025
If confirmed, the consequences might be enormous as global warming accelerates.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
Even the tamer shows are cause for concern, like Spin the Wheel, which puts quiz contestants in a large hamster wheel that accelerates with every incorrect answer, resulting in injuries or worse.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 11 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accelerates
Verb
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But there are several notable categories where the quality increases with cost, and one of those is noise-canceling headphones.—
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Pushing frozen branches upright quickly increases the chances of breakage.—
Verb
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The woman who later identified herself as Good's partner rushes to the Honda Pilot.—
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Denver’s defense rushes the passer as well as any other team in the league.—
Verb
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This foldable tote bag packs flat, expands instantly, and can carry souvenirs, beach gear, or laundry.—
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That's how the music conveys that, expands it.—
Verb
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When wet clothes are placed near exterior walls—which are much colder than interior walls in the winter—moisture rises to the cold surface, creating the perfect conditions for trapping moisture and causing mold growth.—
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During this season, sap rises to the top of the tree.—
Verb
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Kenya licensed 42 new digital lenders, raising the country’s total number to 195, as the central bank pushes to formalize a sector that has become an important part of East Africa’s largest economy.—
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The financial asset label pushes prediction markets toward the exclusive jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), a federal agency, and grants immunity from state gambling laws and taxes on gross betting revenue.—
Verb
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This is the first of a new type of rideshare program flying to that orbit that augments SpaceX’s Transporter program that flies to SSO.—
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Agreeing to a three-year contract with Tatsuya Imai augments a rotation bracing for the loss of Framber Valdez while leaving a footprint in a market this franchise rarely explores.—
Verb
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While the number of retirees swells, the pool of workers funding the social safety net — and caring for the aging population — is narrowing.—
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There's a sort of a natural world religiousness or spirituality or philosophy that swells around a lot of things and different characters.—
Verb
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This hastens the design process and allows engineers to trial different solutions to problems in a faster, cheaper way.—
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But some experts warn that what’s happening in Hatteras could be a glimpse of what’s to come in other coastal areas as climate change fuels more powerful storms and hastens erosion.—
Cite this Entry
“Accelerates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accelerates. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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